Calum's Road
Michelle illuminates a 20th Century island hero Calum MacLeod who single handedly built a road on Raasay.
In the heart of the Scottish Inner Hebrides, where the sea often shimmers like liquid silver and the sky stretches wide and untamed, lies the Island of Raasay. This rugged, windswept isle is not only a place of breathtaking beauty, it is a land steeped in stories—stories of resilience, defiance, and the indomitable human spirit.
Perhaps the most celebrated tale of modern times on Raasay is that of Calum MacLeod, a man whose quiet determination left a mark as enduring as the cliffs that flank the island’s shores. A man who built a road.
At the start of Calum’s Road, the ruins of Brochel Castle cast long shadows across the landscape, their weathered stones whispering of an older era.
It was the 1960s, and as neighbours moved away and the north island’s population dwindled, crofter and lighthouse keeper Calum MacLeod and his wife Lexie remained. More and more isolated in the northern part of the island, they faced a profound challenge: there was no proper road connecting their home to the more populated southern end. When Inverness County Council declined their requests to build a road, Calum decided to take matters into his own hands.
Armed with little more than a wheelbarrow, pickaxe, and shovel, he set out to build a road in his spare time - a feat of sheer will and dedication that he juggled alongside his other jobs. Starting in 1964, day by day, stone by stone, he carved an almost 2 mile stretch of road through the unforgiving landscape, through boggy moorland, above rocky inlets and tackling steep climbs and descents.
Why would he do this?
Well, this wasn’t just an act of sheer willpower. It wasn’t just about convenience. This was about connection, community, and a love for his homeland. He hoped to address the isolation of the northern part of the island, he hoped to to reverse the depopulation of northern Raasay.
By 1982, his work was officially recognised and the council finally tarmacked the road. Today, that winding stretch of asphalt and one man’s perseverance is immortalised in Donald Shaw’s hauntingly beautiful tune, ‘Calum’s Road.’
The tune Calum’s Road was composed by Donald Shaw of Capercaillie and played in this YouTube film by Heather,Averil and Gary Anderson leading a Deeside Session.
Calum’s road is a reminder that perseverance over time can overcome even the most formidable challenges., This road carving not just through rock but into the hearts and histories of those who walk it. If you are fortunate enough to journey along its winding path today, you tread upon a story of dedication and love for the island community - a story that will forever define the spirit of Raasay.
Michelle Melville is High Life Highland’s Heritage Ranger, is passionately dedicated to preserving Scottish natural and cultural heritage. A skilled artisan, Michelle excels in a range of hand crafts from carving and weaving to needle felting. Her talent in these crafts forms a vital part of her role in engaging and inspiring communities to be inspired by their environment, and learn new skills and gain in confidence.