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The Immeasurable Wilds: Travellers to the Far North of Scotland

Scottish Shipping, Large and Small. A selection of 19thC photographs.

Victorian photographers relished views with water and shipping. Generally the movement they portrayed was slow, thus avoiding blurred scenes, and many of the images are beautifully atmospheric. Some of the photographs appear a little clipped in the slideshow below, but you can click on an image as it passes by, which will allow you to see the full picture, and you then have the option to pass manually from image to image if you prefer.

Custom House Quay, Greenock (Looking East).
A Valentine photograph registered in 1878.
The Docks at Glasgow.
From a Magic Lantern Slide. Photographer unknown.
The Caledonian Canal, at Muirton.
A superb Valentine image, registered in 1878.
The Harbour, Inverness
A 1913 Valentine image.
Old Quay, Campbeltown
An important west coast harbour. A card sent in 1908.
Stranraer Harbour
The sender of this card in 1905 has resorted to shorthand for her message.
The Docks, Dundee
A Valentine image, undated.
The Harbour, Cromarty
Showing a variety of shipping. A D&SK card, date unknown.
Kirkwall Harbour
Some fine canvas displayed here.
Findhorn Harbour
A more tranquil harbour scene at Findhorn. A George Washington Wilson photograph.
Oban from SW.
A Valentine photograph registered in1880. The bay is busy with shipping. The town was an important west coast destination for the tourist. It also had a good train service - the terminus can be seen alongside the water.
Dunolly Castle, Oban
A Valentine photograph registered in 1881. A man can be seen on the rigging.
Dunolly Castle
Another image, photographer unknown.
Gairloch Bay.
A tranquil scene further north. A Valentine photograph registered in 1878.
On Gairloch Bay Looking to Boishenhein, Ross-shire.
A similar but not identical image. The folds of the mountains are beautifully captured in this Valentine image.
On Gairloch Bay
Another view with more shipping, photographer unknown.
Loch Awe, at Portsonachan.
Same idea, different place, this a GWW photograph.
Loch Etive and Ben Cruachan from Dunstaffnage.
Another in the same vein, this by GWW.
Eventide at the Pier, Fortrose.
Tranquility at Fortrose, with sailors in the rigging. A D&SK postcard sent in 1913.
Stranded on the East Coast.
A less tranquil scene, photographed by GWW.
A shipwreck on the Beach.
A GWW photograph.
On the rocks, Isle of Whithorn
A card sent in 1906. The Isle of Whithorn is in Dumfries and Galloway.
Lady Sophie on the Rocks
A minor shipping mishap c1900, one of four private photos.
After the Storm
A Valentine photograph registered in 1881.
Fishing Boat Rose Hill.
Photographer and place unknown.
Ardvasar Bay, Armadale Skye.
Boats at rest. A GWW photograph.
Hoisting Sail.
The herring fishing fleet offered photographers plenty of opportunities for desirable images. This one by GWW.
The Herring Fleet at Stornoway, Lewis. Going Out (Evening).
A Valentine photograph, registered in 1878.
S.S. Linnet, Crinan Canal.
The Canals also offered tranquil scenes. Here steam (SS Linnet) and sail on the Crinan. Valentine, 1878. The Linnet was launched in 1866, eventually succumbing to a storm at her moorings in 1932.
On the Caledonian Canal, Inverness.
A Valentine photograph registered in 1878.
Caledonian Canal and Tomnahurich.
Just one sailing vessel in this shot. Tomnahurich can mean either Hill of Yew Trees, or Hill of Fairies.
On the Caledonian Canal, Tamnahurich, Inverness.
Four sailing barges on the Caledonian Canal, by Valentine, c.1888.
Neptune's Staircase, Banavie
A Steamship negociating the flight of 8 locks on the Caledonian Canal. A postcard sent in 1907.
Caledonian Canal, at Bannavie.
A Valentine photograph registered in 1878. The impressive locks at banavie are usually portrayed at the bottom. This is an unusual approach from above.
The Pier, Beauly.
Loading or unloading timber. A local postcard by MacPherson Bros.
Camstraddan Bay, Loch Lomond.
A lovely image of a barge unloading timber(?), the horse and cart waiting patiently. Valentine, 1878.
S.S. Columba at Ardrishaig.
Valentine, 1880. Columba was a paddle steamship that operated between 1879 - 1935, serving the west coast tourist trade.
Ben Lomond from Luss.
Another paddle ship letting off steam. Valentine, 1880.
A Loch Pleasure Steamer
Photographer unknown. More smoke from this packed vessel.
Embarking Passengers at Iona.
Iona was, of course, a key destination for tourists. This a GWW image.
Fingalls Cave, Staffa (Looking out).
The cave provided a perfect frame for images like this. Valentine, 1880.
Landing Place, Fingal's Cave, Staffa
Two more Valentine images using the cave to frame ships
Landing Place, Fingal's Cave.
The cave image is the same photo on both postcards, registered in 1895. The ships have been superimposed.
Craig Tollie, Poolewe Ross-shire
Out on Loch Maree. A GWW image.
Loch Ness.
A fine shot of Steam and sail entering Loch Ness. Valentine, 1891.
The Pier Invermorriston.
A paddlesteamer approaching the Pier on Loch Ness. An early 'Brownotype' Valentine postcard.
Shipping Potatoes.
A private photograph taken near Cromarty in June 1912.
Whaler Perseverance, Peterhead, 1890.
One of two fine photographs of the whaling ship that was tragically lost in the Cumberland Gulf in 1901. There is a full report of this disaster online, from the Buchan Observer, March 1903.
Whaler Perseverance, Peterhead, Sept. 4, 1890.
The small boat seen in the previoius photo has pulled up behind the Perseverance. The image has a suitable ghostly feel to it.
Dornie Ferry, Loch Long
A GWW postcard sent in 1907. One of a number of ferry images I have put on my Ferries of Scotland page.
Auchtertyre
At the smaller end of the scale, visiters out for a jaunt near Lochalsh. A private photograph dated Sept. 1886.
Orkney Man's Cave, Shetland.
A photograph by GWW
Untitled
From an anonymous magic lantern slide, presumably also Orkney Man's Cave, Shetland.
Thurso Harbour
A rare early 20th century view of the harbour at Thurso. A D&SK postcatd, date unknown.