Cherry Island
Cherry Island is a small artificial island located in Loch Oich, a narrow freshwater loch that forms part of the Great Glen in the Scottish Highlands. The island is situated near the village of Invergarry and is one of the finest surviving examples of a crannog in Scotland. Crannogs are ancient loch dwellings, typically constructed on artificial or semi-natural islands, that were built and inhabited across Scotland and Ireland from the Neolithic period through to the early medieval era and even beyond. Cherry Island is particularly notable because it remains clearly visible from the southern shore of Loch Oich, offering visitors a direct and evocative connection to the prehistoric and early historic peoples who once made their homes in such remarkable structures.
The origins of Cherry Island as a crannog likely stretch back well over a thousand years, with some estimates placing initial construction in the Iron Age, though modifications and occupation may have continued into the medieval period. Crannogs were built by driving timber piles into the loch bed and piling stones, earth, brushwood, and other materials to create a stable platform above the water line. The location in the middle of a loch would have provided considerable defensive advantages, making it difficult for enemies or raiders to approach without being seen or heard. It is thought that Cherry Island may have been used as a place of refuge, a chieftain's dwelling, or a fortified residence for a local clan, consistent with the role many Highland crannogs played during turbulent centuries of inter-clan conflict.
The name Cherry Island is somewhat mysterious in origin and does not immediately suggest the ancient character of the place. Some sources suggest that the name may be a corruption or anglicisation of an older Gaelic term, as is common with many Scottish place names. The island itself is quite small, barely large enough to have supported a simple dwelling and perhaps a small yard or enclosure, and it is almost entirely covered with trees and shrubs today, giving it a green, overgrown appearance from the loch's edge. The trees that now cloak it contribute to the romantic and slightly wild atmosphere that makes it so appealing to visitors walking along the shore.
Standing at the edge of Loch Oich and looking out at Cherry Island, visitors encounter a scene of quiet Highland beauty. The loch is narrow and relatively calm, often reflecting the wooded hillsides that rise steeply on both sides of the Great Glen. The surrounding forest is predominantly coniferous, managed by Forestry Scotland, with birch and other deciduous trees interspersed along the loch shore. The water has a dark, peaty quality typical of Highland lochs, and the air is clean and often scented with pine and damp earth. On still days the loch's surface mirrors the sky and the island's green canopy almost perfectly, creating a scene that feels timeless and remote despite being relatively accessible.
Loch Oich is the smallest of the three main lochs that make up the Caledonian Canal system, lying between the much larger Loch Ness to the northeast and Loch Lochy to the southwest. The Caledonian Canal itself passes through the area, and the towpath and the A82 road both run close to the loch shore, making the area reasonably accessible to travellers passing through the Great Glen. The village of Invergarry is close by, and the broader region is rich in Highland history, including the nearby ruins of Invergarry Castle, seat of the MacDonell clan, which sits dramatically on a rocky promontory above the loch just a short distance away.
Visiting Cherry Island is a relatively straightforward experience for anyone travelling through the Great Glen. The A82 road between Inverness and Fort William passes along the western shore of Loch Oich, and there are lay-bys and paths that allow visitors to stop and view the island from the shore. The island itself is not formally accessible by boat for most visitors, so the usual experience is of admiring it from the waterside path or from the road. The area is beautiful year-round, though summer brings longer daylight hours and more pleasant walking conditions along the loch shore, while autumn offers dramatic colour in the surrounding woodland.
One of the more fascinating aspects of Cherry Island is the way it demonstrates continuity of human ingenuity across millennia. The effort involved in constructing a crannog, carrying thousands of tonnes of stone and timber into a loch using only pre-industrial technology, speaks to the determination and resourcefulness of ancient Highland communities. Archaeological investigations of Scottish crannogs more broadly have revealed a wealth of organic material preserved in the cold, anaerobic loch sediments, including wooden artefacts, food remains, and structural timbers that would not survive in terrestrial conditions. Cherry Island, as one of the most visually intact examples in the region, stands as a quiet monument to those ancient builders and the lives they led on the water.