The village of Ballachulish in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, is centred on former slate quarries. The name Ballachulish (Ballecheles, 1522 - Straits town,) was more correctly applied to the area now called North Ballachulish, to the north of Loch Leven, but was usurped for the quarry villages at East Laroch and West Laroch, either side of the River Laroch, which were actually within Glencoe and South Ballachulish respectively.OverviewThe principal industry is now tourism, although most visitors pass swiftly by the village itself.The name Ballachulish (from Scottish Gaelic, Baile a' Chaolais) means "the Village by the Narrows". The narrows in question is Caolas Mhic Phàdraig - Peter or Patrick's son's narrows, at the mouth of Loch Leven.As there was no road to the head of Loch Leven until 1927, the Ballachulish Ferry, established in 1733, and those at Invercoe/Callert and Caolas na Con were essential. The Ballachulish ferry closed in December 1975 when the Ballachulish Bridge finally opened.The Ballachulish Hotel and Ballachulish House (until recently a country house hotel) are located near the narrows at (south) Ballachulish Ferry rather than in the "modern" village some 3mi east. Ballachulish House was reputed to be haunted, and the drive leading to it was ridden by a headless horseman.