What exactly is a croft?
It’s not a house as many people think – it’s a kind of smallholding used for growing food and/or grazing sheep and cattle. Historically, crofters were small tenant farmers in the Highlands and Islands, altough more recently some families (such as ours) have bought their crofts and become owner-occupiers. Most Highland crofts still have their traditional stone-built cottages (croft houses), although many have fallen into ruin. In recent years, some croftland has been turned over to grass. We still work our croft, so it’s a real farm environment. There are areas of woodland, rough meadow and cultivated plots as well as areas planted with grass and shrubs where you can sit out and enjoy the view, and you are welcome to wander where you please.
