Gairloch
Encyclopedia
Gairloch is a village, civil parish
and community
on the shores of Loch Gairloch on the northwest coast of Scotland
. A popular tourist destination in the summer months, Gairloch has a golf course, a small museum, several hotels, a community centre, a leisure centre with sports facilities, a local radio station
, beaches and nearby mountains.
The parish of Gairloch extends over a much wider area, including the villages of Poolewe and Kinlochewe
, and has a population of 2,289. The nearest railway station is located at Achnasheen
. The nearest mainland airport is in Inverness
.
), Charleston and the harbour are met first. Achtercairn is centred around the road junction with the coastal road that leads west to Strath and on towards Melvaig
. The main A832 road heads steeply up Achtercairn Brae leading out of the village to the north and on to Poolewe.
The coastal climate is affected by the Gulf Stream, bringing relatively warm waters in summer. These warm waters are ideal for jellyfish which can swarm the local waters.
Beyond Gairloch to the west a number of small settlements can be found: Big Sand
, North Erradale
, and Melvaig
. Beyond Melvaig the road narrows to a twisting, undulating track (which is passable with a car) and ends at the Rua Reidh Lighthouse
.
(died 1528), with a family house in the sheltered Glen of Flowerdale. The Mackenzies were clan leaders in the traditional sense and were known for their attachment to their tenants. During the 19th century, Sir Hector Mackenzie and his sons Sir Francis and Dr John Mackenzie refused to evict a single tenant during the clearances, despite the estate running at a loss. As a result, evicted Highlanders from other communities came to live in the area and has caused Gairloch to maintain a thriving community even today. The Mackenzies were also keen gardeners. The glen has a microclimate and vegetation that are home to a diverse range of natural life. Dr John Mackenzie states in his memoir Pigeonholes of Memory, that his father was able to grow fruiting peaches outdoors. Osgood Mackenzie
created the famous Inverewe Garden
in nearby Poolewe. There is a walk up the Flowerdale burn, going past the Mackenzie house, Tigh Digh, to an impressive waterfall at the head of the glen. With the aid of public grants, new and refurbished footpaths have been established which allow residents and visitors to enjoy the wooded areas.
Boat fishing and marine wildlife trips can be arranged at the harbour, and there are many hill lochs in the area with trout fishing available. Trips are also available with a working creel boat based in Badachro
on the south side of the Gairloch (the "overside").
Two campsites take tents, caravans and motor homes – one in Strath (Gairloch Holiday Park) and one to the west on Little Sand Farm (Sands Caravan & Camping). A youth hostel, situated approximately half-way from Strath to Sand, has superb views across the bay towards Skye.
The Gairloch golf course is short and involves a lot of crossing and shared fairways. It has a dramatic setting by the beach and a very welcoming club house. The eighth hole is particularly dramatic and challenging.
A Pictish stone with a distinctive carving of a salmon was found in Gairloch in 1880. This is one of the westernmost sites where such a discovery has been made. The stone is now on display in the Gairloch Heritage Museum.
The site of a 1945 plane crash at the Fairy Lochs
near Gairloch is now a designated war grave. The crash site, close to the village of Badachro, has been preserved as a memorial to the USAAF servicemen who lost their lives in the accident.
An online photographic tour is available.
The village was featured on the BBC One
TV series When Love Comes to Town in 2007. It was surveyed by the Google Streetview car in April 2009.
Gairloch is the final resting place of the renowned Gaelic bard Uilleam Ros or William Ross (1762–1791), known as 'the Gairloch bard'. Ross was born in Broadford on Skye and traveled extensively throughout the Western Isles, becoming known for his knowledge of different varieties of Gaelic. He composed several famous romantic poems attempting to win the affection of Marion Ross of Stornoway, who apparently never responded to his attentions. Perhaps the most famous of these is 'Feasgar Luain'. Ross settled in the Gairloch are and became a schoolmaster, and died at the age of 28 in Badachro. It is popularly believed that he died of a broken heart.
(website), which is a community-run station serving the central part of Wester Ross
. It can also be listened to on the Internet.
Civil parishes in Scotland
In Scotland, parishes, as units of local government, were abolished by the Local Government Act 1929. The geographical area is sometimes still referred to, however, for statistical purposes....
and community
Community council
A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain.In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies...
on the shores of Loch Gairloch on the northwest coast of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. A popular tourist destination in the summer months, Gairloch has a golf course, a small museum, several hotels, a community centre, a leisure centre with sports facilities, a local radio station
Two Lochs Radio
Two Lochs Radio is Britain's smallest commercial radio station, and community broadcaster for the Gairloch, Loch Ewe and Loch Maree areas of Wester Ross, in the Highlands of Scotland...
, beaches and nearby mountains.
The parish of Gairloch extends over a much wider area, including the villages of Poolewe and Kinlochewe
Kinlochewe
Kinlochewe is a village in Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. It is in the parish of Gairloch, the community of Torridon and Kinlochewe and the Highland Council area. It lies near the head of Loch Maree in its magnificent valley, and serves as a junction between the main Ullapool...
, and has a population of 2,289. The nearest railway station is located at Achnasheen
Achnasheen
Achnasheen is a small village in Ross-shire in the Highland council area of Scotland. Despite the size of the village, Achnasheen is also the name of a postal district which covers several much larger communities. This dates from the time when the village railway station was an important stop on...
. The nearest mainland airport is in Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
.
Geography
Gairloch is a loosely defined area of settlement along the shores of Loch Gairloch, but primarily comprises three main clusters of shops, houses and amenities: the Harbour area (including Charlestown on the south side of the harbour), Achtercairn and Strath. If approaching from the south (via KinlocheweKinlochewe
Kinlochewe is a village in Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. It is in the parish of Gairloch, the community of Torridon and Kinlochewe and the Highland Council area. It lies near the head of Loch Maree in its magnificent valley, and serves as a junction between the main Ullapool...
), Charleston and the harbour are met first. Achtercairn is centred around the road junction with the coastal road that leads west to Strath and on towards Melvaig
Melvaig
Melvaig is a remote village on the coast of western Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland. The village is accessed from Gairloch, which is 10 miles to the southeast....
. The main A832 road heads steeply up Achtercairn Brae leading out of the village to the north and on to Poolewe.
The coastal climate is affected by the Gulf Stream, bringing relatively warm waters in summer. These warm waters are ideal for jellyfish which can swarm the local waters.
Beyond Gairloch to the west a number of small settlements can be found: Big Sand
Big Sand
Big Sand is a small remote crofting village in Highland, Scotland. It is situated on the shores of the Gair Loch and is 3.5 miles from Gairloch village...
, North Erradale
North Erradale
North Erradale is a remote coastal crofting village on the western coast of Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
, and Melvaig
Melvaig
Melvaig is a remote village on the coast of western Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland. The village is accessed from Gairloch, which is 10 miles to the southeast....
. Beyond Melvaig the road narrows to a twisting, undulating track (which is passable with a car) and ends at the Rua Reidh Lighthouse
Rua Reidh Lighthouse
Rua Reidh Lighthouse stands close to the entrance to Loch Ewe in Wester Ross, Scotland.-Lighthouse:A lighthouse on Rubh'Re Point was first proposed by David Stevenson in 1853. Building was started by his son, David Alan Stevenson in 1908 and the light was first lit on 15 January 1912. The light...
.
Land ownership
The lands around Gairloch have been mostly in the ownership of the Mackenzies of Gairloch since the 15th century, when they were acquired by Hector Roy MackenzieHector Roy Mackenzie
Hector Roy Mackenzie of Gairloch was a prominent member of the Mackenzie clan, who acquired vast estates in and around Gairloch as a result of his services to the Scottish crown and challenged his nephew for the chiefship of the clan.-Origins:...
(died 1528), with a family house in the sheltered Glen of Flowerdale. The Mackenzies were clan leaders in the traditional sense and were known for their attachment to their tenants. During the 19th century, Sir Hector Mackenzie and his sons Sir Francis and Dr John Mackenzie refused to evict a single tenant during the clearances, despite the estate running at a loss. As a result, evicted Highlanders from other communities came to live in the area and has caused Gairloch to maintain a thriving community even today. The Mackenzies were also keen gardeners. The glen has a microclimate and vegetation that are home to a diverse range of natural life. Dr John Mackenzie states in his memoir Pigeonholes of Memory, that his father was able to grow fruiting peaches outdoors. Osgood Mackenzie
Osgood Mackenzie
Osgood Hanbury Mackenzie was a Scottish landowner and the creator of a famous garden at Inverewe, near Poolewe in Wester Ross.-Origins:...
created the famous Inverewe Garden
Inverewe Garden
Inverewe Garden is a botanical garden in the Scottish Highlands. It is located just to the north of Poolewe in Wester Ross.The garden was created in 1862 by Osgood Mackenzie on the estate bought for him by his mother. The original Inverewe Lodge was destroyed by fire in 1914 and replaced in 1937...
in nearby Poolewe. There is a walk up the Flowerdale burn, going past the Mackenzie house, Tigh Digh, to an impressive waterfall at the head of the glen. With the aid of public grants, new and refurbished footpaths have been established which allow residents and visitors to enjoy the wooded areas.
Fishing
Gairloch and nearby Badachro have a strong history of creel shellfish fishing as well as small scale trawl fishing. The number of active boats is in decline, however, and Gairloch has seen both of its shellfish processing businesses fall by the wayside over the last 10 years. There are still a few dedicated fishermen who work regularly for their living, but many have moved on; some have diversified into catering for tourism and visitor activities.Boat fishing and marine wildlife trips can be arranged at the harbour, and there are many hill lochs in the area with trout fishing available. Trips are also available with a working creel boat based in Badachro
Badachro
Badachro is a remote fishing village, in the north west Highlands of Scotland.-Geography:Badachro sits about 3 km south of Gairloch on the shore of Gair Loch, and is an excellent natural harbour popular with yachts. It is scenic and has a pub called the Badacro Inn and a small restaurant...
on the south side of the Gairloch (the "overside").
Local information
Shops and Post Offices are to be found in Strath and in Pier Road at the harbour. Public services such as police station, leisure centre, schools, library and health centre, as well as a small supermarket and a garden centre, are in the central Achtercairn area. There is a tourist information office, and a filling station (not open Sundays or public holidays). Internet café facilities are available at several locations in the area.Two campsites take tents, caravans and motor homes – one in Strath (Gairloch Holiday Park) and one to the west on Little Sand Farm (Sands Caravan & Camping). A youth hostel, situated approximately half-way from Strath to Sand, has superb views across the bay towards Skye.
The Gairloch golf course is short and involves a lot of crossing and shared fairways. It has a dramatic setting by the beach and a very welcoming club house. The eighth hole is particularly dramatic and challenging.
A Pictish stone with a distinctive carving of a salmon was found in Gairloch in 1880. This is one of the westernmost sites where such a discovery has been made. The stone is now on display in the Gairloch Heritage Museum.
The site of a 1945 plane crash at the Fairy Lochs
Fairy Lochs
The Fairy Lochs are a small group of lochans approximately 2 miles SE of the village of Badachro near Gairloch in Wester Ross, Scotland....
near Gairloch is now a designated war grave. The crash site, close to the village of Badachro, has been preserved as a memorial to the USAAF servicemen who lost their lives in the accident.
An online photographic tour is available.
The village was featured on the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
TV series When Love Comes to Town in 2007. It was surveyed by the Google Streetview car in April 2009.
Gairloch is the final resting place of the renowned Gaelic bard Uilleam Ros or William Ross (1762–1791), known as 'the Gairloch bard'. Ross was born in Broadford on Skye and traveled extensively throughout the Western Isles, becoming known for his knowledge of different varieties of Gaelic. He composed several famous romantic poems attempting to win the affection of Marion Ross of Stornoway, who apparently never responded to his attentions. Perhaps the most famous of these is 'Feasgar Luain'. Ross settled in the Gairloch are and became a schoolmaster, and died at the age of 28 in Badachro. It is popularly believed that he died of a broken heart.
Two Lochs Radio
Gairloch is home to the Britain's smallest local radio station, Two Lochs RadioTwo Lochs Radio
Two Lochs Radio is Britain's smallest commercial radio station, and community broadcaster for the Gairloch, Loch Ewe and Loch Maree areas of Wester Ross, in the Highlands of Scotland...
(website), which is a community-run station serving the central part of Wester Ross
Wester Ross
is a western area of Ross and Cromarty in Scotland, notably containing the villages on the west coast such as:* Lochcarron* Applecross* Shieldaig* Torridon* Kinlochewe * * * Aultbea* Laide* Ullapool* Achiltibuie...
. It can also be listened to on the Internet.