Shieldaig (Scottish Gaelic: Sìldeag; Old Norse: síld-vík, lit. 'herring bay')[1] is a village in Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands, in the Scottish council area of Highland.[2]
Shieldaig
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Shieldaig looking north along the sea-front | |
Location within the Ross and Cromarty area | |
OS grid reference | NG815539 |
Civil parish | |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Strathcarron |
Postcode district | IV54 |
Dialling code | 01520 |
Police | Scotland |
Fire | Scottish |
Ambulance | Scottish |
UK Parliament | |
Scottish Parliament | |
Geography and history
editThe village was founded in 1800[3] with a view to training up seamen for war against Napoleon. After his (initial) defeat and exile to Elba, the community found itself a new role as a fishing village. The small island just offshore never had its tall pines harvested to rig warships, and has now become a nature sanctuary.
The name of the village is derived from the Old Norse síld-vík, meaning 'herring bay'.[1]
Shieldaig is a community of around 85 people,[4] with its own school, a small pub, a village hall, a church and two restaurants. It is much used as a holiday destination, attracting those interested in fishing, touring the North Coast 500 or explorers of the Torridon Hills, which are a few miles around the coast.
Shieldaig holds a community fête in the second weekend of August.
Education
editIt is in the catchment area of Gairloch High School.[5]
Another Shieldaig
edit12 miles (19 kilometres) to the north lies another Shieldaig.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b W. J. Watson, Place-names of Ross and Cromarty, 1904, p. 208.
- ^ Gittings, Bruce; Munro, David. "Shieldaig, Highland". The Gazetteer for Scotland. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
- ^ Shieldaig Undiscovered Scotland
- ^ a b "Torridon & Shieldaig". Steve Carter. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
- ^ "Schools - Gairloch High School". The Highland Council. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
External links
editMedia related to Shieldaig at Wikimedia Commons