Land and Sea
Fishing and crofting have been the mainstays of the local economy for generations. Here we try to give a flavour of that tradition as it pertains to Tolsta rather than as a broad academic study of these subjects which have already been executed by other organisations. What we wish to build up are a series of references that taken together provide a unique insight into how the interwined activities of fishing and crofting impinged on the everyday lives of Tolsta families throughout the last 100 years and more. We have also prepared a Registry of all the Tolsta fishing boats from 1880 – 1988 and this can be viewed at the Comann Eachdraidh Room. Also available there is the complete set of Tolsta earmarks.
Tolsta Head Walk
Tolsta Head - A Naturalist’s Dream Thank you to Mick Blunt for this excellent article and for making us aware of just how varied the wildlife at Tolsta Head is. Mick lives in Coll and runs a small walking holidays...
Sharing the catch
Sharing the catch Fishing moved from Garry to Cladach Ghiordail in the early 1900s and for years an abundance of fish was landed there by the local boats. Before carrying the fish up the steep slope there would be the...
The creel
The Creel The creel was once the Swiss Army knife of village life. It was an all purpose basket used for carrying everything from fish to peats, manure, stones and potatoes. The creel had many uses as George Morrison The...
The first overland services
Cart and horse The first type of vehicle used by the crofters was a long-bodied box-like cart, on wheels, with long protruding tromaichean, shafts, between which the horse was harnessed. They had no springs between the body...
Tolsta shops of the past
Tolsta Shops The photo is of Angus Macleod (Aonghas Bhiogaim) in his mobile shop. Judging by some of the comments on Facebook this mobile shop was very popular. Many shops operated in Tolsta in the course of the 1900s,...
Earmarks by croft
Earmarks by croft J.MacmillanEast View Barr deas, beum foipe, tri roibidh taisgeil, beum os a cionn Maciver Lochside Barr taisgeil, roibeadh, suileag dheas MurrayLochside Barr deas, beum foipe agus os a cionn. Da ghearradh fo'n...
Land and Sea – Laithean an Iasgaich
Làithean an Iasgaich The book "Laithean an Iasgaich" focuses heavily on one of the most successful branches of the Lewis fishing industry - Tolastadh bho Thuath! Of the books many features a fishing Registry has been included...
Land and Sea – Closing the Minch
Closing The Minch Tolsta fishermen who went out to protect their nets from a poaching seine netter in Broad Bay were 'fired on' by the crew of the netter who pelted them with potatoes and coal and turned a hose on them. Councillor...
Land and Sea – Fishing in times past
Fishing Pastimes Extract from a letter, written by Donald Macdonald in 1987 to the pupils of Tolsta Primary School, describing life in the village around 1920. "Trout fishing with rod and worm was popular. Sand eels were caught on...
Land and Sea – Fishing rocks
Fishing Rocks Dòmhnall Iain Mhòir (5), author of the 'Operation at Sea' story (4), has an amazing knowledge of rock fishing and of inshore fishing in the Tolsta area. Since the evening of the Aig Muir 'get together' Dòmhnall has...