Image Details
While looking for photographs of the village of Shieldaig, which I plan to include in next years calendar, I came across this delightful little bay in Loch Shieldaig, and on its shore what seems to me the most idyllically situated croft house imaginable.
This house is off the beaten track,down the hillside from the single-track Applecross road, with a few old ruined houses for neighbours, and sandwiched between a forest and Loch Shieldaig. I would be very happy to live in such a spot. However, the nearest village is only a few minutes drive away and all the essentials of life can be obtained in Shieldaig stores. What more could anybody want!
At the time of taking this picture I didn't realise that on the horizon the beach at the end of the long peninsula is actually the beach at the old fishing station at Red Point in Wester Ross, only 17 kilometres away as the crow flies, but a good 140 kilometres by road.
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.
Loch Shieldaig; In Gaelic it is Sìldeag derived from the Norse síld-vík meaning ‘herring bay’.
Red Point; The anglicized version of the Gaelic name Rudha Dearg, but sometimes called Rudha Lachdunn, the dun or swarthy point.
Shieldaig; Village named after Loch Shieldaig. In Gaelic Shieldaig is Sìldeag derived from the Norse síld-vík meaning ‘herring bay’.
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