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I arrived at Shieldaig just as the sun was clearing the horizon and throwing some light onto the surrounding hills. This view was taken from the Applecross road which served as my viewpoint while I watched the light gradually change.
Of course this meant that as each car arrived I had to move my tripod off the road and set it back up again as it passed. It's not often that the best viewpoint is in the middle of a road, fortunately the Applecross single track road is not a busy one!
The view depicted here is looking over Loch Shieldaig to Shieldaig village, and beyond to Beinn Alligin. A minute or two after the shot was taken a cruise ship steamed into Loch Shieldaig and the tranquility of the scene was broken by the noise of the anchor chain as the anchors were dropped into the loch.
The ship was the Hebridean Princess, a cruise ship which specialises in cruises round the mainland and islands of Scotland's North-west Highlands.
North-west Highland Place Names
The landscape of the North-west Highlands and the Gaelic language are intimately connected. Other languages have contributed to the richness of our place names, notably Norse, but the North-west Highlands have for centuries been a Gaelic landscape. In listing the meanings of place names I have relied on authoritative sources wherever possible. For further information about sources please refer to North-west Highland Place Names in the main menu.
Applecross; For a full explanation of the origin of this name the reader is referred to Professor Watson’s excellent book – click ‘North-west Highland Place Names’ in the main menu for further information. Summing up his comments it appears that the name means the ‘estuary of the Crosan’ which is the river (Abhain Crosan) that flows into Applecross Bay. The word Crosan is of uncertain origin but is assumed to be Pictish, meaning unknown.
Beinn Alligin; Listed as Beinn Ailiginn by Watson. This mountain is named after the stream Abhainn Alligin The name Alligin is usually connected with àilleag, a jewel, a pretty woman which may possibly be correct but Professor Watson says the single l in àiliginn is a serious difficulty.
Loch Shieldaig; In Gaelic it is Sìldeag derived from the Norse síld-vík meaning ‘herring bay’.
Shieldaig; Village named after Loch Shieldaig. In Gaelic Shieldaig is Sìldeag derived from the Norse síld-vík meaning ‘herring bay’.
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