Gillie or ghillie is an ancient Gaelic term for a person who acts as a servant or attendant on a fishing, hunting, deer stalking or hawking expedition, primarily in the Scottish Highlands or on a river such as the River Spey. In origin it referred especially to someone who attended on behalf of his male employer or guests.
This position still exists in some Highland locations as of 2021[update], such as the Isle of Skye, according to the BBC. They are no longer manservants or attendants and do not carry chiefs across rivers as in the distant past; today, they "manage the wilderness and guide travellers through it".[1]