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I have long been attracted to the ancient woodlands found all round the West Highlands. I like the feeling of peace found in them, but also their timeless quality as if they had always been there. I felt there was a certain eerieness about this forest, not that I believe in the supernatural at all. I think we have just evolved to have a certain wariness about forests.
There is a saline lagoon, Ob Meallaidh, at the south-west end of Loch Torridon and the above forest is on the south-eastern shore of the lagoon. I had passed this way on many occasions but I had never stopped to explore this wood before.
Initially my eye was attracted by the remains of an old ruined croft house at some distance into the wood and I headed off in that direction to investigate. A hundred years or more ago a family would have lived in this primitive building which still had within what would have been the family living area the remains of the section for the family cow. I doubt the forest would have existed at that time as the family would have worked the land, and no doubt the loch too for food.
Beyond the trees can be seen the waters of the lagoon Ob Mheallaidh, a name which means 'Deceitful Bay'. According to Professor Watson's guide to 'Place Names of Ross and Cromarty' this specific part of the lagoon has its own name and is called called Camas dà Phàidein, that is the Bay of Two Patons (or Patricks). Perhaps this was name of the family who long past lived in the ruined croft house that I found in this forest.
Leaving the ruin behind I found the part of the forest floor shown above covered with a heavy growth of moss, even the boulders strewn around the forest had been covered by moss. Such forests on the west coast are a rich source of mosses and lichens, and even the trunks of many the trees were becoming festooned with them. Due to generous rainfall Scotland's west coast is sometimes referred to as a 'green desert'; this image certainly lives up to that description.
For those with an interest in the supernatural I have given a link below to some accounts of spooky events that have taken place at Ob Mheallaidh. These tales were extracted from the Transactions of The Gaelic Society of Inverness 1904-1907 and can be read here.
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.
Camas dà Phàidein; Gaelic for ‘Bay of two Patons or Patricks’.
Loch Torridon; Professor Watson gives a detailed account of Torridon 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.
Ob Mheallaidh; Listed as Ob ‘mheallaidh by Professor Watson. It is Gaelic meaning ‘Deceitful Bay’, dangerous due to large boulders.
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