TV take on rural housing

A NEW four-part series on BBC ALBA examines the dramatic development of rural housing in Scotland over the years.

In the second part next Monday (January 30), builder Ewen MacKinnon, who has a passion for the beauty of construction, continues his fascinating and revealing journey through Scotland’s rural housing landscape – telling a story of place, people and home in Rural Housing.

The history of traditional buildings in the Highlands and Islands resonates particularly with people today, with an increasing number are choosing to build new homes using the materials from early 19th century homes and in line with much-loved styles, such as the blackhouse.

Among the buildings visited will be the impressive Isle of Lewis stone structures, the Bosta Iron Age House on Great Bernera, Uig the Norse Mill in nearby Shawbost, the S-shaped house named Oran na Mara on Harris, the Hebridean Earth House on South Uist and the Carloway broch, Isle of Lewis.

These buildings have also inspired numerous impressive new island homes.

Viewers also find out about the fascinating wooden crannogs and there will be avisit to the restored Gearrannan Blackhouse Village on Lewis, which has a new life as holiday accommodation.

Rural Housing airs on BBC Alba on Mondays at 8.30pm.