By Morgan Price
The morning was cold and wet when we first met at the Flodigarry Hotel, nestled on the Northern peninsula of the Isle of Skye. The wind was sharp, and heavy squalls swept in from the stormy sea. Jamie, Ross, Mark, and Jules were already there, ready to start the day’s adventure. It began with the lifting of one of the more recently found historic stones. Sitting outside the Flodigarry Hotel and weighing in at 106kg, the Ultach Stomhairle, or Sorley’s Burden, is a rough basalt plug with an iron ring set in its top. That morning, with the storm clouds brewing overhead and tourists watching while eating their breakfast, we performed a small but mighty show. Five kilted men, hoisting the stone to chest or shoulder against the backdrop of the wild sea. It felt like the perfect way to start a day of stone hunting.
After a quick bite at The Hungry Seagull, we were off to find the stone that had drawn us all here in the first place: Ultaich Gilean a’ Bealaich, the legendary stone of the Bealach Boys. Legends surround this massive stone, and we were about to make our own mark in its history. The stone is mentioned in old tales, with a particular connection to the Martins of Bealach. Tradition holds that the true son of the clan must be at least 6 feet tall, with a chest measurement of around 50 inches when expanded, and must demonstrate great strength by lifting the stone. It was said that only one Martin, a figure from the late 18th century, had ever succeeded in lifting the stone.
We parked our cars just south of the Duntulm Castle, then hiked up a steep gully toward the hilltop. The terrain was rugged, with the wind gusting fiercely, but the beauty of Skye is undeniable. After a short climb, we found the old croft ruins nestled among the bracken. As a geologist, I was drawn to the various basaltic outcrops that dotted the hillside, showing some lovely examples of polygonal joint patterns. So, as the others explored the area around the croft, I ventured higher up the northernmost hillside.
At the summit, I spotted a large outcrop that stood out from the rest. As I drew closer, I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. There they were - the legendary stones we had been searching for. Two halves of a once joined stone, still standing side by side, the crack between them unmistakable. They were larger than we had anticipated - much larger. I quickly sent the others my location and pulled out my tape measure to estimate their weight. I was awestruck – one 300kg and the other 500kg. These were not lifting stones, they were true legendary stones! Martin must have been a giant!
As the others made their way to join me, I took the opportunity to explore further. On the next outcrop, I found a smooth, rounded, diamond-shaped stone, sitting there as if it had been placed just for us. We carried it over to the original stone site, where we weighed it at 137kg.
As we all stood together, each of us eager to take our turn, I felt a rush of pride and history. I was honoured to be the first to lift it. We named it Clach Mhàrtainn a’ Bhealaich. It was a heavy stone for me but fate would not let me down and I hoisted it up to my chest on the first try. In that moment, I felt a deep connection to the land, to the legends, and to the people who had come before us. It was a special moment and one I will never forget. The stones had been found, a new stone had been lifted, a legacy continued, and the legend of the Bealach Boys would live on.
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