Cleared in 1848 by Neill Malcolm of Poltalloch; the eviction was met with sustained, women-led resistance (Catherine Campbell and others armed with pitchforks), escalating to a riot, arrests and jailing at Inveraray — a genuine, under-told 'crofting resistance' story from Argyll, distinct in character from the Skye/Sutherland resistance narratives.
Why this place matters
Cleared in 1848 by Neill Malcolm of Poltalloch; the eviction was met with sustained, women-led resistance (Catherine Campbell and others armed with pitchforks), escalating to a riot, arrests and jailing at Inveraray — a genuine, under-told 'crofting resistance' story from Argyll, distinct in character from the Skye/Sutherland resistance narratives.
The story on the ground
Arichonan was cleared in 1848 to make way for sheep farming, but the eviction met determined resistance. Catherine Campbell led local women against the sheriff’s officers, and several residents were later jailed at Inveraray. The surviving ruins now sit beside a signed Forestry and Land Scotland trail, preserving both the township and the community’s refusal to leave quietly.
What the evidence supports
Well-documented via Forestry and Land Scotland's own heritage-site guide and an academic collection (University of Essex repository); treat specific numbers (e.g. '60 people') as drawn from popular-history retellings of the original record rather than a primary count.
Before you go
- Drive to the Forestry and Land Scotland car park at Gleann a’ Ghealbhain. The yellow-waymarked Arichonan Township Trail begins across the B8025; there is no public transport to the start.
- Not required
- Open year-round in daylight. Official route: 2.1 km / 1¼ miles, allow about 1 hour. Uneven and potentially muddy after rain.
- Gleann a’ Ghealbhain Forestry and Land Scotland car park — Plus Code 3C6H+4R, Lochgilphead, United Kingdom
- The official 2.1 km waymarked trail starts across the road from the car park—take care crossing. Forestry and Land Scotland grades it strenuous: uneven grassy path, narrow or muddy sections, exposed roots and one long fairly steep slope. Allow about 1 hour. Suitable for active families with children supervised; keep dogs under effective control, especially near livestock. No facilities at the ruins.