Keppock Of Loch Duich
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
Keppock of Loch DuichMaggie and Duncan Keppie Gaelic College SCD Book 8: The Handy Dozen
32 bar Jig
2-couple Round The Room dance, women in outer circle, men in inner circle
1-8 SET TWICE AND CIRCLE: Set to partner, set on diagonal, and four hands once round;
9-16 HAND-IN-HAND REEL OF 3: Nearer hands joined with partner, dance Hand-in-Hand Reel of 3 starting by passing opposite couple by the right then the next couple by the left, then pulling left shoulders back and changing hands, reel back to original places;
17-20 SET TWICE: nearer hands joined with partner set to opposite couple, then set to partner the women giving their other hand to their partner;
21-24 TURN INTO GORDON HOLD: turn partner once around ending with women turning under partner's arm into Gordon hold (as in Gay Gordons) to face opposite couple;
25-32 KEPPOCH:
Bars 25-28: 1st and 2nd couples advance and retire using modified Pas de Basque (2 bars: advance onto right foot in 4th intermediate position, beat left foot in rear 3rd position, step onto right foot in 3rd position, and extend left foot into 4th rear aerial position, and retire with regular Pas de Basque), then dance past opposite couple ("Over the Heather Step"): couples have now changed places, men passing left shoulders, and are now back-to-back;
Bars 29-32: dropping front hands, turn once to end on own side.
Repeat with next couple round the circle.
(Dance crib compiled by the devisers, Maggie and Duncan Keppie)
Dance Information
Loch Duich is a sea loch located on the western coast of the Scottish Highlands. It is situated near the village of Shiel Bridge, where the River Shiel flows into the loch. The loch is approximately 8.5 kilometres long and about 1.5 kilometres wide, extending inland from the Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to Loch Long and Loch Alsh, forming a trio of sea lochs in the region.Historically, Loch Duich was the site of significant events. In 1719, during the Jacobite uprisings, British forces burned many homesteads along its shores in the lead-up to the Battle of Glen Shiel. Eilean Donan Castle, situated on a small island where Loch Duich meets Loch Long and Loch Alsh, played a notable role during this period. The castle was originally constructed in the 13th century and served as a stronghold for the Clan Mackenzie and their allies, the Clan MacRae. It was destroyed in 1719 by government forces and later reconstructed in the 20th century.
The area around Loch Duich holds cultural and spiritual significance. The earliest recorded settlement near the loch, Cill a' Chaoin-tearn, dates back to 1543. Additionally, the region is associated with early Celtic saints, such as St. Kentigerna and St. Dubhthach, the latter of whom is believed to have given his name to the loch.
In terms of environmental importance, Loch Duich, along with Loch Long and Loch Alsh, was designated as a Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area in 2014. This designation aims to protect the lochs' burrowed mud habitats and flame shell beds, which are vital for marine biodiversity.
Loch Duich From The North-West, With Eilean Donan Castle (Middle Foreground), Loch Long (Left Foreground)
Loch Alsh (Right Foreground), And The Mountains Of Glen Shiel (Centre Background).
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Text from this original Loch Duich article on Wikipedia.
Image from Ericoides, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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