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Popular with visitors and locals alike, Gairloch Beach is in a fine setting, sandwiched between Loch Gairloch and the view to Skye, and the golf course backed by the Torridon mountains.
The sand dunes which run along the edge of the golf course are fragile and suffer erosion. Not long after I moved to Wester Ross there was a big storm and the resulting heavy seas badly damaged the dunes. The council undertook restoration work, replanting the grasses and closed access to the dunes to give them time to recover.
By the time I had taken this photograph seven years later the dunes had recovered and the walkway along them had been re-opened. This walk can now be followed to the hill on the far right of this photograph, and then from there the walk continues over the hill and eventually ends at Gairloch Harbour.
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.
Gairloch; Gaelic, village named after the loch of the same name, Loch Gairloch, An Gearr-loch, the short loch.
Torridon; Professor Watson gives a detailed account starting with the recorded history of this name – Torvirtayne 1464; Torrerdone 1584; Gaelic Toir(bh)eartan compare with the Irish tairbheart, to transfer, carry over, the infinitive of tairbrim. This would give the place the meaning of ‘place of transference’ with reference to the portage from the head of Loch Torridon through Glen Torridon to Loch Maree. The name applies specially to the strip of land at the head of the loch.
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