Merkinch
Encyclopedia
Merkinch is an area of the city of Inverness
in the Scottish Highlands
. One of the Inverness's oldest areas, it is located in the north-west of the city, flanked by the Caledonian Canal
to the west and the River Ness
to the east.
Originally, Merkinch was home to Inverness's shipbuilding
industry and the Kessock Ferry
sailed across the Moray Firth
from a pier in South Kessock
, to the north of Merkinch. Distilling was another important industry with a number of distilleries located in the area. Today, industrial activity still takes place in the Carse Industrial Estate and Telford Retail Park. Also in Merkinch is Grant Street Park, home to Clachnacuddin Football Club, and Merkinch Primary School, one of the oldest in the city.
The area known as South Kessock
has a diverse set of wildlife habitats with a wide variety of plants and animals and as such was designated as a local nature reserve in November 2007. Merkinch Local Nature Reserve is the 50th local nature reserve in Scotland and is the only one in the Highlands. The reserve consists of tidal pools, which are partially connected to the sea, open grassland and wooded areas. Habitats include salt marsh, fresh water marsh with reed beds, bog, scrub and wooded embankments.
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...
in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
. One of the Inverness's oldest areas, it is located in the north-west of the city, flanked by the Caledonian Canal
Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian Canal is a canal in Scotland that connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William. It was constructed in the early nineteenth century by engineer Thomas Telford, and is a sister canal of the Göta Canal in Sweden, also constructed by...
to the west and the River Ness
River Ness
The River Ness is a river flowing from Loch Ness in Scotland, north to Inverness and the Moray Firth. On a hill above the river in Inverness stands Inverness Castle. The river is overlooked by the Eden Court Theatre, one of the largest theatres in Scotland. St. Andrews Cathedral also lies along...
to the east.
Originally, Merkinch was home to Inverness's shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
industry and the Kessock Ferry
Kessock Ferry
The Kessock Ferry used to ply between Inverness and the Black Isle, across the Beauly Firth. It was withdrawn on the opening of the Kessock Bridge in 1982.-Service:...
sailed across the Moray Firth
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
from a pier in South Kessock
South Kessock
South Kessock is an area of the city of Inverness in Scotland.It is to the north of Merkinch and is also known, somewhat disparagingly, as the Ferry. Prior to the construction of the Kessock Bridge, the Kessock Ferry sailed between North Kessock and here.South Kessock has featured in two novels by...
, to the north of Merkinch. Distilling was another important industry with a number of distilleries located in the area. Today, industrial activity still takes place in the Carse Industrial Estate and Telford Retail Park. Also in Merkinch is Grant Street Park, home to Clachnacuddin Football Club, and Merkinch Primary School, one of the oldest in the city.
The area known as South Kessock
South Kessock
South Kessock is an area of the city of Inverness in Scotland.It is to the north of Merkinch and is also known, somewhat disparagingly, as the Ferry. Prior to the construction of the Kessock Bridge, the Kessock Ferry sailed between North Kessock and here.South Kessock has featured in two novels by...
has a diverse set of wildlife habitats with a wide variety of plants and animals and as such was designated as a local nature reserve in November 2007. Merkinch Local Nature Reserve is the 50th local nature reserve in Scotland and is the only one in the Highlands. The reserve consists of tidal pools, which are partially connected to the sea, open grassland and wooded areas. Habitats include salt marsh, fresh water marsh with reed beds, bog, scrub and wooded embankments.
External links
- http://www.merkinch.info
- http://www.merkinchlnr.org.uk
- http://www.merkinchgreenspace.org.uk
- http://www.merkinch.org.uk