Image Details
I had spent a good part of the day engaged upon a commission to photograph the interior and exterior of a letting cottage for a local estate, and having finished in the late afternoon I hoped for some good light to do some personal work and photograph the local surroundings.
Waiting on good light turned out to be a frustrating affair, especially as I was in such fine surroundings. The view shown here is of Gruinard River, taken not far from its exit into Gruinard Bay on Scotland's north-west coast, and in the distance can be seen the ghost-like presence of Beinn Dearg. Along side the river, on the right in the above photograph, is a good track popular with walkers. It runs for several kilometres inland, eventually ending at Loch na Sealga, a narrow loch which lies squeezed between two great mountains, An Teallach and Beinn Dearg.
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.
An Teallach; Gaelic, ‘The Forge’, reputably from its colour in certain lighting rather than its shape. From personal experience I can agree with this explanation. In the summer, during a good sunset, and when looking east over Gruinard Bay An Teallach can appear bright red with the reflected light from the sunset in the west.
Beinn Dearg; Gaelic; ‘the Red Hill’.
Gruinard Bay; possibly from the Norse grunnfjörðr meaning shallow firth.
Gruinard River; named after Gruinard Bay. Gruinard is possibly from the Norse grunnfjörðr meaning shallow firth.
Loch na Sealga; Gaelic, written as Loch na Sealg by Professor Watson meaning ‘loch of the hunts’.
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