Image Details
I had been commissioned to shoot some exterior and interior photographs of Mungasdale House which is part of Gruinard Estate. The house and outbuildings can be seen in the distance closer to the shores of Gruinard Bay.
Originally a farm house it is now let to summer visitors as a holiday house. It is in an idyllic setting close to a fine beach by the shores of Gruinard Bay with lots of excellent nearby walks. I had been told before photographing Mungasdale House that it was haunted and so I hoped that an apparition would appear while I was there. I had no such luck!
I have tried to track down the history of the building and any legends associated with it but I have found nothing online. A visit to the local museum in Gairloch or contacting Gruinard Estate will hopefully reveal some history of Mungasdale (Monks Dale) and the origins of its name.
The small stream in the foreground is Allt Mhungasdail flowing towards Gruinard Bay in which the low triangular shape of Gruinard Island can be seen. On the horizon the western shore of Gruinard Bay can be seen along which are located the villages of Laide, Udrigle and Mellon Udrigle.
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.
Gruinard Bay; possibly from the Norse grunnfjörðr meaning shallow firth.
Laide; In Gaelic it is An Leathad meaning ‘a slope’.
Mellon Udrigle; A hybrid Gaelic/Norse name meaning ‘Udrigle's Hill’. Udrigle is possibly a Norse name, however Professor Watson suggests it may be derived from the Norse útargill, meaning outer cleft or gully.
Mungasdale; Recorded as Mungasdill in 1633 Gaelic Mungasdal; Norse Múnks-dalr, meaning Monk's dale. Faithir Mungas-dail, the shelving slope of Mungasdale., and Mealbhan Mungasdail, the links on the shore at the farm. Sron an Fhaithir Mhóir, ‘Point of the great shelving slope’ is on the coast further north. Faithir Mungasdail runs from Stattic Point nearly to Rudha na Mòine, ‘Moss Point’.
Udrigle; Udrigle is possibly a Norse name, however Professor Watson suggests it may be derived from the Norse útargill, meaning outer cleft or gully.
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