Image Details
I was on top of the hill overlooking Little Gruinard intent on getting views of the superb vistas available from that viewpoint. I did achieve that aim but latterly I was far more attracted to a very small part of this view.
This was the contrast of the smoothly sculpted sand dunes on Little Gruinard beach with the finely rippled and ever changing pattens of the tide as it gradually moved up the beach. The low sun helped a great deal in revealing these patterns and in picking out the scattered flocks of seagulls at various spots on the beach.
Adding further complexity and interest the Little Gruinard and Inveranvie Rivers meet and blend their waters on this beach and daily carve new shapes in the dunes as they make their way into Gruinard Bay.
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.
Little Gruinard; This is the name of the area around the estuary of the Little Gruinard River where it enters Gruinard Bay. There is also another nearby river called the River Gruinard and the term ‘Little’ is added to the smaller river to distinguish the two. The rivers themselves are named after the bay into which they flow, Gruinard Bay, Gruinard being derived from the old Norse grunnfjörðr meaning ‘shallow firth’.
Inverianvie River; Written as Inverianvenie River by Professor Watson. Gaelic Inbhir-riamhainnidh, also Allt Inbhir-riamhainnidh flowing out of an Gleanna garbh, ‘the rough glen’; riam-hainnidh is probably based on the root seen in the Gaelic riamh, riadh, a course, running (in modern Gaelic ‘a drill’). The suffixes may be compared with Ptolemy’s Lib-nios. A Pictish name.
Images; Copyright © Gordon C Harrison All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.
Moral rights asserted in all countries and under any acts that may require such assertion.