Balivanich ( gd, Baile a' Mhanaich) is a village on the island of
Benbecula
Benbecula (; gd, Beinn nam Fadhla or ) is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2011 census, it had a resident population of 1,283 with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It is in a ...
in the
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides () or Western Isles ( gd, Na h-Eileanan Siar or or ("islands of the strangers"); sco, Waster Isles), sometimes known as the Long Isle/Long Island ( gd, An t-Eilean Fada, links=no), is an island chain off the west coast ...
off the west coast of
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. It is the main centre for Benbecula and the adjacent islands of
North Uist
North Uist ( gd, Uibhist a Tuath; sco, North Uise) is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
Etymology
In Donald Munro's ''A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland Called Hybrides'' of 1549, North Uist, Benbecula and ...
,
South Uist
South Uist ( gd, Uibhist a Deas, ; sco, Sooth Uist) is the second-largest island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. At the 2011 census, it had a usually resident population of 1,754: a decrease of 64 since 2001. The island, in common with the ...
and several smaller islands. Balivanich is within the parish of South Uist.
History
The name meaning "town of the monk" possibly relates to a monastery which may have been founded here as early as during the 6th century. ''Teampull Chaluim Chille'', an ancient church dedicated to
Columba
Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is toda ...
, might have been part of this monastery; its remains can still be seen south of the village. An airfield to the north, built during World War II, became the control centre for the Hebrides rocket range, established in 1957 at the height of the Cold War. It is now
Benbecula Airport
Benbecula Airport ( gd, Port-adhair Bheinn na Faoghla) is located on the island of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides, off the West Coast of Scotland. It is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.
...
.
Geography
Balivanich is located on the north-west coast of Benbecula in a largely flat area ( above sea level). As of the date of the census on 29 April 2001, the village comprised .
Climate
A weather station has collected climate data for the island a short distance northeast at Benbecula airport. As with the rest of the
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
and Scotland, Balivanich experiences a
maritime climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
with cool summers and mild winters, and is particularly windy due to its position directly facing the North Atlantic.
Economy
The local council (
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (, for, , Scottish Gaelic, Council of the Western Isles) is the local government council for ''Na h-Eileanan Siar'' (the Outer Hebrides) council area of Scotland. ) has offices in Balivanich, and there is also a post office, hospital, primary school and several shops and cafés.
Transport
Road
Balivanich is on the B892 and is connected to the north–south main road, which is the
A865. This connects North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist. The village is served by the bus route W17, which operates between
Berneray in the north and
Eriskay
Eriskay ( gd, Èirisgeigh), from the Old Norse for "Eric's Isle", is an island and community council area of the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland with a population of 143, as of the 2011 census. It lies between South Uist and Barra and is ...
in the south. This service is provided by the local government for the Western Isles (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar) in collaboration with local bus companies and the PostBus service. The buses are regular, but not frequent, due to the low number of inhabitants.
Several private taxi services complement the bus traffic. In addition, there is a scheduled door to door transport service for the elderly and those with restricted mobility, driving to shops, banks, post offices and other important amenities with minibuses.
Education
Since the old primary school was badly damaged during a storm,children from Balivanich and the surrounding communities have been attending the new Balivanich School (Sgoil Bhaile a' Mhanaich) since August 2011. About 140 boys and girls aged 1 – 12 years old are cared for or taught there in 3 preschool and 6 primary school classes. A secondary school is located in the neighbouring town of Liniclate.
Airport
Benbecula Airport (''Port Adhair Bheinn na Fadhla'') (
IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff ...
: BEB,
ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international a ...
: EGPL) is located on the northern edge of the village. The operator is the
Highlands and Islands Airports Limited
Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) is a company based at Inverness Airport that owns and operates 11 airports in the Scottish Highlands, the Northern Isles and the Western Isles.
It is a private limited company wholly owned by the ...
based in Inverness.
Operations include scheduled flights to the Mainland (Inverness via
Stornoway
Stornoway (; gd, Steòrnabhagh; sco, Stornowa) is the main town of the Western Isles and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland.
The town's population is around 6,953, making it by far the largest town in the Outer Hebrides, as well a ...
and
Glasgow International
Glasgow International (GI) is a biennial visual arts festival that takes place in Glasgow, Scotland. While Glasgow has a thriving contemporary art scene of its own, GI offers a platform to artists from other countries as well, showcasing the bes ...
) and mail cargo flights. In addition, the airport is used, due to its central location close to the hospital, as a landing site for rescue helicopters and aircraft.
Some land is also used for the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
to refuel and for transport and logistics purposes.
References
External links
Canmore - Benbecula, Balivanich site recordCanmore - Benbecula Airport, Airfield site recordCanmore - South Uist, Benbecula, Balivanich, Teampall Chaluim Chille site recordTeampull Chaluim Chille - website about the historic site and efforts to preserve it
{{authority control
Villages in the Outer Hebrides
Benbecula