Ferry at Ballachulish, Scotland (1926)

[archiebluenose1]

My grandfather worked on the Ballachulish ferry up until the 1950's or 60's and must be on this film as my dad was born in 1928 when the family lived in Onich. My grandmother worked in the Ballachulish Hotel.

[BillDFC]

Near Ballachulish is the site where James Stewart was hung after being found guilty by a Campbell jury for the murder of "The Red Fox".

[Musicgutbucket]

This i amazing. I was up there last year....& want to go back this year.

[donkeynews]

When we used to go on the ferry - about 50-60 years ago, my brother and I used to hide behind the front seats of the car as we were terrified it would land in the water. I remember the steep slope down and the sharp turn on to the boat but it must have been the replacement ferry mentioned below as I can't think we went on such a wee boat. Wonderful memories though.

[douldy]

Great video. The quality is exceptional given that is was apparantly shot in 1926. Good to see the Ballachulish Hotel on the other side but the Highland cow clip looks like an addition as the building on the far side is unrecognisable to me.

Thanks to Terri for sending me this.

[ecat68k]

As a family we went back there this year (2010), but I remember the (much newer) ferry in the mid 70s, when the bridge was being built.

This, however, is film from a couple of years before my mother was born in Ballachulish...she took the ferry, maybe this one, in the 30s and 40s to go to Fort William schools and shopping.

The drive around the loch, via Kinlochleven was beautiful but long and winding.

Many thanks to the uploader

[tocaat2410]

The Ballachulish Ferry was the scene of an important incident in the plot of Freeman Wills Crofts' crime mystery "The Groote Park Murder". Although fictional, Crofts' novels were always set in real places and always with plenty of real-life detail. Having just re-read the Groote Park story (set partly in South Africa and partly in Scotland) for the nth time, I'm fascinated to see the scene of this incident - at about the time it (supposedly) took place.

[Donnie303]

The turntable ferry from glenelg actually is an old ballachulish Ferry

[motte1168]

What an adventure! I would have died of fear!

[sidlawman]

I just pictured Allan Breck walking down to the shore to ask the ferry man if `Glenure had crossed`.

[scottishrailways]

when young used to goto a chalet at loch leven

good video mate

[SailingCartagena]

I live in Colombia, we still have this kind of ersats ferry. Actually, worse.

Considering the era that ferry with its pivoting bed looked pretty good to me.

I wonder how many motorists made this journey north in the twenties?

This video is a wonderful view into the past.

[scoterpool]

Did that car just have good brakes or did the ferry have a buffer, it looked like it was almost ready to go over. I think there is still a little ferry from Glenelg over to Skye but I don't know that it's as small as this one!

[fidochap]

I remember waiting for up to an hour to get on this ferry 60 years ago. A much larger boat (I think there were two) replaced the one in the video but soon there were delays for this. Then came the bridge. If you went round the Loch through Kinlochleven you could see the electric railway linking the aluminium works with a pier.

[tinyass2007]

Best clip ever and its good to see the ballachulish hotel where i am working at the moment,I do remember the ferry before the bridge was completed

[biggles12]

I've made this crossing many, many times. It's a bridge now!

[ILUV74]

Thank you for posting this ,often wondered how it looked .People older than me [No offence here ] there was a bit of A wait for this service ,or you had to drive round the lang way.

[BillDFC]

@ILUV74 You had to drive all the way round by Kinlochleven.

[BillDFC]

Wonderful! There is a bridge here now,but I miss the ferries all the way up the west coast as far as Kylesku with the single track roads.

[dvdhttn]

As has been said before, this is what "You Tube" is all about. Not these mindless moron wannebe singers/so called funny clips. I bet the clever loading of the car onto the little ferry would`nt be allowed now-a-days. Great clip.

[hujjesb]

glad to see this,I went over it as a child ,I have photos that my dad took ,.thanks

[scallopboy]

Brilliant to see this, thanks for posting