The tale of Catherine MacKinnon, a Mull woman who became the nurse to a Russian Czar! Read all about her remarkable journey from a humble crofter's cottage to the heart of an imperial court. Find out how she influenced a Czar and why her memory is still treasured on the Isle of Mull today.

The MacGillivray family, known as *Na Dròbhairean* (The Drovers), moved from Mull to Iona in the 1860s, settling at Cnoc Oran. Their story, including Duncan MacGillivray’s legendary instinct for a direct path across the island, is a powerful reflection of Highland heritage. Based on Mairi MacArthur’s *Tracks & Paths – Iona’s Namescape*, this blog explores family, tradition, and the lasting imprint of those who “took their own road.”