Tomsleibhe Bothy sits in Glen Forsa on the Isle of Mull, beneath Beinn Talaidh.
The building was formerly Bentalla Cottage, before becoming a shelter for walkers. The glen itself has a long history of settlement and today the track into the glen gives access to a beautiful landscape of river, woodland, hills and mountain.
During the 2nd World War, Douglas Dakota KK194 crashed into Beinn Talaidh at about 2,300 feet, roughly 200 feet below the summit. The aircraft encountered low cloud and heavy snow and the pilot became disorientated. There were 8people aboard, all RAF officers and 3 of them died.
One of the survivors, Squadron Leader Derek Auchinvole, managed to escape the wreckage and send up flares. He then made his way down the mountain in the darkness and snow, eventually seeing the light of a shepherd’s house in Glen Forsa. He reached the house and locals who knew the terrain went out in severe weather to rescue those who had survived and recover the bodies who had sadly died.
Much of the wreckage remains on the mountain and on a beautiful day in 2018 I came across it in a ravine while walking over Beinn Talaidh from Glen more to Glen Forsa, sharing the experience with a mountain hare who seemed rather curious of me.
I remember walking down that ravine imagining how difficult it must have been to be out here in severe weather in the dark - it’s an incredible story of bravery and a community coming together.
A surviving propeller was mounted on a large stone as a memorial, with a plaque commemorating those who died. It’s a striking memorial which stands beside the track leading towards Tomsleibhe. The memorial was installed in 2005, sixty years after the crash.
For me the map represents my accumulated relationship with this place ,the bothy, all the surrounding the hills, the lochs I’ve swam in, the rivers crossed, the wildlife encountered, the aircraft crash and propeller.
Watercolour painted onto OS map
10x10” mounted
£85
Plus postage
