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On the hill above Ullapool is a small group of houses, this area is known as Braes of Ullapool. From there one can walk over the hills to enjoy fine views over Loch Broom and beyond.
Here the view is of Ullapool village, Loch Broom, Beinn Ghobhlach on the Cailleach Head peninsula, and to the right on the horizon two of the Summer Isles are just visible.
It is unusual to have this much snow at the coast although in decades past it was more common. Winters tend to be mild and wet on the whole punctuated with violent gales which cause damage and bring down power lines.
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.
Beinn Ghobhlach; Gaelic A’ Bheinn Ghobhlach; the forked hill.
Braes of Ullapool; Gaelic Bruthaichean Ullabuil, ‘the hillside of Ullapool’.
Cailleach Head; Professor Watson notes that in Gaelic it is Sròn na Cailleach meaning the nun’s point; in O.S.A. Rudha Shanndraig. Professor Watson does not explain what O.S.A is, however I assume he is referring to the Old Statistical Accounts. Cailleach is commonly thought to mean ‘old woman’ but I have read it has a wider usage and could denote a nun, an old woman, a widow, or a witch.
It was not clear to me why Professor Watson decided on the meaning ‘nun’ until a reader of this page kindly emailed me an explanation as follows – “Regarding Gaelic grammar the genitive plural is the same as the nominative singular so Sròn na Cailleach is 'nose of the old women' (not woman). Nuns were often called cailleach dubh (plural cailleachan dubha) - old black woman. There is a ruin in Uig, Lewis, called Taigh nan Cailleachan Dubha, 'The Nun's House’, so Professor Watson was probably correct.” [1]
Loch Broom; The name Loch Broom is an anglicised version of its true Gaelic name which is Loch Bhraoin. Bhraoin means a 'drop of water or rain' and is named after the river Abhainn Bhraoin that flows from Loch a' Bhraoin high in the Braemore (Am Braigh Mor).
Ullapool; Gaelic is Ullabul derived from the Norse Ulli-bólstaðr meaning ‘Ulli’s stead’.
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