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This is probably the view that all visitors to Gairloch will recognise, and may well have photographed it too. At the top of Achtercairn Brae, heading north out of Gairloch is a lay-by and viewpoint. From here we are looking west over some of the various communities collectively known as Gairloch, then over Loch Gairloch, and on the horizon we see the northern tip, Trotternish, of the Isle of Skye.
Several of the places that make up Gairloch can be seen in this view. Starting at the furthest point there is Lòn Mòr, which translated from Gaelic means the big moist flat. Next we have Bail' a' Ghobhann (Smithstown), named after the blacksmiths' that stood by the river there in former times. Reaching the central group of buildings we have Mitheall (Narrow Filed) and A' Strath (The low ground) now referred to as Strath. Finally, the five houses to the left of this view are part of an area known as Faolin (An Fhaoilinn - The beach field).
The Gairloch area has a great richness of place names. It is fortunate that we have had John Dixon in the 19th century, and more recently the excellent work carried out by Roy Wentworth to record and translate the meanings of all those place names.
Copyright © 2001 Gordon C Harrison All Rights Reserved