Gruinard Bay
Encyclopedia
Gruinard Bay is a large remote coastal embayment
, located 12 miles north of Poolewe, in northwestern Ross and Cromarty
, and is in the former parish of Lochbroom, in the west coast of Scotland
.
, in the nook where the coast turns north, overlooks Gruinard Island
to the northeast. Further up the west coast, the villages of Achgarve
, the main village of Mellon Udrigle
and the smaller crofting township of Opinan
have a commanding view of the bay and Gruinard island.
to the northeast, encompasses the opening of Little Loch Broom to the east with Static Point further south, and on the west side by the Rubha Mòr
peninsula, and Loch Ewe
on the southwestern boundary. The bay measures 5.5 miles along its western shore, and 4.5 miles on its eastern shore, forming a L shape.
The bay overlooks the infamous Gruinard Island
, which is 0.68miles offshore, at the eastern side of the bay. The Summer Isles
are visible to the northeast.
Three fast flowing rivers flow into the Bay. Little Gruinard
river, occasionally called River Little Gruinard, flows 4 miles from the Fionn Loch to enter Bay at the settlement of Little Gruinard, and Camas Gaineamhaich beach. River Gruinard river, flows a similar distance from the two lochs, the larger to the east, Loch Sealga and the smaller Loch Ghiubhsachain to the west, into the bay at the western side of Camas Gaineamhaich beach. The smaller stream of Inverianvie river, flows from the small loch, Loch à Mhadaidh Mòr and enter's the bay between the two other rivers.
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
, located 12 miles north of Poolewe, in northwestern Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use...
, and is in the former parish of Lochbroom, in the west 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...
.
Settlements
Gruinard Bay has a number of settlements, mainly located on the eastern shore of the bay. On the southeast corner, the small hamlet of Little Gruinard is located, where the similar named river leaves land. On the western coast, the former fishing village of LaideLaide
Laide is a small village in the northwest of the Highlands of Scotland. It is situated on the southern shore of Gruinard Bay, about 30 km west of Ullapool....
, in the nook where the coast turns north, overlooks Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island ) is a small, oval-shaped Scottish island approximately long by wide, located in Gruinard Bay, about halfway between Gairloch and Ullapool. At its closest point to the mainland it is just more than offshore...
to the northeast. Further up the west coast, the villages of Achgarve
Achgarve
Achgarve is a small coastal crofting and fishing hamlet, situated between Gruinard Bay and Loch Ewe on the Rubha Mòr peninsula, in the north west coast of Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands.An old track leads from Achgarve across the peninsula to the deserted village of Slaggan at Slaggan Bay to the...
, the main village of Mellon Udrigle
Mellon Udrigle
Mellon Udrigle is a small remote coastal tourist, fishing and crofting hamlet on the north west coast of Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
and the smaller crofting township of Opinan
Opinan, Laide, Highland
Opinan is a remote scattered crofting hamlet, in Achnasheen, Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.The village of Mellon Udrigle lies directly to the southeast....
have a commanding view of the bay and Gruinard island.
Geography
Gruinard Bay is formed from the boundary of Loch BroomLoch Broom
Loch Broom is a sea loch located in northwestern Ross and Cromarty, in the former parish of Lochbroom, in the west coast of Scotland. The small town of Ullapool lies on the eastern shore of the loch...
to the northeast, encompasses the opening of Little Loch Broom to the east with Static Point further south, and on the west side by the Rubha Mòr
Rubha Mòr
Rubha Mòr is a remote peninsula in west Scotland, in the western region of Ross and Cromarty. The peninsula stretches from Greenstone Point in the north to the villages of Poolewe on the southern coastline and Laide on the northern coastline...
peninsula, and Loch Ewe
Loch Ewe
Loch Ewe is a sea loch in the region of in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The shores are inhabited by a traditionally Gàidhlig speaking people living in or sustained by crofting villages, the most notable of which, situated on the north-eastern shore, is the Aultbea settlement...
on the southwestern boundary. The bay measures 5.5 miles along its western shore, and 4.5 miles on its eastern shore, forming a L shape.
The bay overlooks the infamous Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island ) is a small, oval-shaped Scottish island approximately long by wide, located in Gruinard Bay, about halfway between Gairloch and Ullapool. At its closest point to the mainland it is just more than offshore...
, which is 0.68miles offshore, at the eastern side of the bay. The Summer Isles
Summer Isles
The Summer Isles are an archipelago lying in the mouth of Loch Broom, in the Highland region of Scotland.-Geography:The only inhabited isle, Tanera Mòr, is also the largest. It is home to an Atlantic salmon fish farm, some rental holiday homes, a café and a post office, which has operated its own...
are visible to the northeast.
Three fast flowing rivers flow into the Bay. Little Gruinard
Little Gruinard
The Little Gruinard is a river in Wester Ross, Scotland which runs from the Fionn Loch into Gruinard Bay . It lies within the Letterewe Estate, previously owned by Paul van Vlissingen, a Dutch businessman. It has a healthy run of Atlantic Salmon...
river, occasionally called River Little Gruinard, flows 4 miles from the Fionn Loch to enter Bay at the settlement of Little Gruinard, and Camas Gaineamhaich beach. River Gruinard river, flows a similar distance from the two lochs, the larger to the east, Loch Sealga and the smaller Loch Ghiubhsachain to the west, into the bay at the western side of Camas Gaineamhaich beach. The smaller stream of Inverianvie river, flows from the small loch, Loch à Mhadaidh Mòr and enter's the bay between the two other rivers.