THE historic Highland ferry at the centre of a row between the community that runs it and an “absentee landowner” has broken down, raising fresh doubts for its future.
Warnings were sounded for the MV Glenachulish, which is said to be the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world and serves the route between Glenelg on the mainland and Kylerhea on Skye, after The National first revealed that it is obliged to pay a percentage of its annual turnover to the landowner on the Skye side due to archaic “rights to ferry”.
The Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company (CIC) said that it had enjoyed a bumper 2025, and paid landowner Richard Oliphant of that Ilk around £10,000. However, a clause in the deal means he can never be paid less than a previous year, which sparked fears after poor weather hit 2026’s takings.
Now, a breakdown means the boat may have been knocked out of service for the rest of the tourist season, the CIC has warned, raising fresh fears about their ability to pay Oliphant of that Ilk.
“This could be the end of our season which would be dreadful,” Jo Crawford, the chief executive of the CIC, said. “We don’t know how long the ferry will take to fix. We are hoping that the damage isn’t severe but we don’t know yet. Until we have it properly assessed we can’t tell how long it will be out of service.
“But it’s costing us income every day the ferry isn’t running. And the fix itself could cost us significantly depending on how serious it is.
“We’d normally look to make about £70,000 in the last six weeks and if we don’t get that it will be very difficult. We have about 22 staff between the ferry and the café and we can’t afford to lose any income.”
Crawford added: “It’s an old vessel, the last of its kind, no-one makes them anymore.
“If something goes wrong, it is not usually a quick fix. Something can go technically wrong at very short notice and our earning ability plummets."
More than 40,000 people have signed a petition calling for the Government to step in and change the law, and First Minister John Swinney has said ministers are taking advice on how they can help.
Josh Doble, the director of policy and advocacy at Community Land Scotland – the representative organisation for community landowners, said: “The Glenelg ferry saga showcases the best and worst of contemporary Scottish landownership.
“On the one hand a pioneering and ambitious community who are pursuing the economic development of their local area whilst delivering a vital local service. On the other hand, an absentee laird who is seemingly trying to extract as much financial gain as possible from his landholding, behaviour which Scotland's rural communities have endured for centuries.
“It’s time for the Government and public bodies to do everything in their power to find a good outcome for this community enterprise.”
Oliphant of that Ilk has not responded to requests for comment. He is understood to live in Edinburgh and has been described as a millionaire.
He made headlines in 2003 after hiring Hugh Peskett – the acclaimed genealogist who traced Ronald Reagan’s family to the tiny Irish village of Ballyporeen – to prove his claim to the chiefship of Clan Oliphant, ousting the Perthshire farmer who had been thought to hold the title.
