Struay

[slimjim]

Where is it? My eldest is learning about it at school and I can't find it on any map. See http://www.angusbear.com/struay.html

[MangoRose]

There is a map on the link that you give which clearly shows the location of Struay.

[Quizmonster]

On the web-page your link takes one to, click on 'Maps' on the left-hand edge. The new page indicates Struay as being to the southeast of Eigg and east of Muck, with Angustown as the "capital". However, if you click http://www.british-towns.net/scotland/inner_hebrid
es/inner_hebrides_northern_map.htm which shows a real map of the Inner Hebrides, you will see that no such island exists! Even the description of the place on your opening page - about clouds concealing the island and its consequent failure to appear on maps - rather gives the game away that this is a 'Fantasy Island'!

There is a place called Struy, with no 'a' in the Highland Region in the midst of the hills and glens to the west of Inverness and many miles from the sea.

[slimjim]

Thanks, Mango. I've looked at the map on the website and compared it to my road atlas and it's not there. Must be, as Quizmonster says, a fantasy island. But why??

[smorodina]

I think there are some clues on this page: http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/childrens/katiemorag/
home.htm

[smorodina]

It looks as though the Katie Morag stories are being used as learning tools which explains it all: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/geograph
y/geo3/03q1?view=get

[slimjim]

Yes, further investigations have revealed that this is part of the national curriculum for geography. I think it's a pity that they need to use a fantasy place to learn geography when there are so many real and fascinating places all around us. At least I can now explain to my son why we can't visit Struay in the holidays!

[Quizmonster]

What the heck? Take him to Struy instead! Take the A 862 west out of Inverness for 12 miles and then the A 831 through Kilmorack and Crask for about 9 miles and there you'll find Struy nestling in Strath Glass. Glorious - and totally real - country!

[slimjim]

Quizmonster, if you could arrange for someone to slip an 'a' into the road signs on the day we're coming, I may be able to get away with it!

[Quizmonster]

Dear Jim, There may be an easier way! You see, the castle pictured on your 'fantastic' web-page is actually the Castle of Eilean Donan at Dornie on the Kyle of Lochalsh, more or less due west of the 'real' Struy. Surely showing the lad the building would convince him he was in the right place, even in the absence of road-signs. You might even get him to believe he was on an island by taking him by boat to the Isle of Skye first and then back to the mainland via the bridge at Kyleakin. (All a bit elaborate, I admit!) Cheers

[David H]

If anyone ever goes to Struy, please go into the Struy Inn and ask how John is, his father owned it 30 years ago and the family may still do. But I met John in Spain on holiday rather than Scotland so aren't able to drop in as a local myself. What a small world.