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On our first holiday in Sutherland in 1989 we stayed in a small village called Gleann Leireag by the shores of Loch Nedd in Assynt. Hamlet would probably be a more correct word to use than village as there are only three houses in Glean Leireag. We stayed with Iain and Nina MacAulay who at that time ran a B&B in Gleann Leireag.
Originally we had intended to stay at a small place called Unapool further north, not far from Kylesku. However the lady at that B&B was full up and she suggested we would really enjoy staying at her Mother-in-law's establishment amidst the delights of Assynt's coastal scenery. We didn't know it then but this was to lead to the start of friendship with Iain and Nina. Such are the unexpected chance events that life throws across our path from time to time.
We stayed with Iain and Nina for a fortnight and I'd have to say this was not at all like a conventional B&B. After the evening meal it was expected that we would share in their hospitality and convivial conversation over a few drinks. In this way we got to know a lot about each other and become friends. In fact on our arrival we were told that there was to be none of this staying in our room nonsense, we were 'required' to share their company as they wanted to know all about us!
I'd have to say that Isabel and I have never had such a wonderful holiday with delightful company and with the added bonus of living amongst scenery to die for.
In our second week Iain suggested that as he had to go on council business to Dornoch (Iain was a councillor for Assynt) that I may like to accompany him on the trip while Isabel and Nina would do something at Gleann Leireag, I forget what it was they were going to do but as I recall they had an enjoyable day too.
One of the things I learned from Iain on that trip was the technique of angling the car's wing mirrors in such a way to make it easy to reverse on single track roads without having to look round. Of course I took my camera equipment along in the hope of getting some shots in an area I had not visited before.
The above picture was taken as we were returning in late afternoon. We were not far from Ledmore Junction with Loch Borralan before us and Suilven looming over the landscape but truncated by low cloud. Iain very kindly stopped for me so that I could spend some time and take some photographs of this super scene.
The moment I look at this photograph it always riggers memories of that day with Iain and of our friendship with Iain and Nina that arose from that first holiday with them.
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.
Assynt; From the Norse Asaint or Asaint meaning ‘ridge end’.
Dornoch; In Sutherland. The Scottish Parliament states that in Gaelic it is Dòrnach meaning the ‘pebbly place’. However Alex Macbain’s book ‘Place Names of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland’ states that it seems to be of Pictish origin, pointing to a Celtic Durnacon, the stem Durno appearing in both England and in Europe in Celtic place names and meaning ‘stronghold’, doubtless allied to the Gaelic Dorn, meaning ‘fist’.
Gleann Leireag; Gaelic, meaning ‘Larch Glen’.
Kylesku; Gaelic Caolas Cumhang meaning ‘the narrow strait’.
Ledmore; In Gaelic it is An Leathad Mór meaning ‘the big slope’.
Loch Borralan; In Sutherland. I’ve been unable so far to find any reference to explain this name. It may be from the Norse Burra, ‘a fortification’ , but I’m not qualified enough that anyone else should quote this.
Loch Nedd; In Sutherland, Gaelic, Loch an Nead, ‘the loch of the nest’.
Suilven; A very dramatic shaped mountain in Sutherland. None of the authoritative sources I use list this name. Researching other sources on the web indicates it's name is an amalgam of Norse and Gaelic derived from Sula Bheinn, where Sula is Norse for pillar and Bheinn is Gaelic for mountain.
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