Torbothie is a small area in the town of Shotts

Shotts

Shotts is a small rural town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located almost halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh . As of the 2001 census, the population was 8,235...

, North Lanarkshire

North Lanarkshire

North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...

. It is the largest village in 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...

, with a population of approximately 13,500. It has a mixture of properties including council-letted accommodations to private dwellings, a swing park, a Salvation Army hall, a graveyard, large areas of forestry, a pub, a butcher's shop, a small football ground, and Stane Primary School, as well as a small man made loch called The Voe, also known as Torbothie Beach. Torbothie is very close to Springhill

Springhill

Springhill may refer to:In places:Canada* Springhill, Nova Scotia, a town in Cumberland County* Springhill, Ontario, an unincorporated community in ChamplainUnited Kingdom...

 and Dykehead, two larger sections of Shotts. Torbothie means "the bothie on the hill".

Torbothie culture and wildlife

The local wildlife is varied, ranging from local birds to animals like foxes, and roe deer. Rabbits are not uncommon, and domestic pets, such as dogs, are frequently found. Badgers have been sighted, as well as rats, small ferrets and weasels, and the occasional squirrel. There have also been one or two reports of adders.

Torbothie is populated generally by mixed class families. Its culture is mostly made up by white Scots.

The Voe

Torbothie Beach is a local name for The Voe, a 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) man-made body of water situated near the Torbothie Club, next to a quarry. It was created by damming the upper Calder water to create a source of cooling for the now-demolished Shotts ironworks and brass foundry. Abandoned and ruined stone structures are dotted around it. It is suitable for fishing, with common fish including pike and perch. Young people often ride their bikes to the beach. It is currently believed to be undergoing a makeover with 1400 houses planned for its future, a project estimated at £85m.

Economy

The businesses in Torbothie are mostly limited to a butcher's shop, however, in the centre of Shotts there is a local supermarket, two garages, a pharmacy and several take aways and small convenience shops scattered throughout Shotts. There is also a public library, a leisure centre and a health centre.

Memorable events

Every year Shotts holds a Gala Day, situated in the Brandy Park in Torbothie. Much of Torbothie's population can be found here, where a Gala Queen is crowned, people make speeches, and a number of fairground attractions can be enjoyed.

In 1999, Stane Primary School was burnt down due to an act of vandalism, and the pupils were sent to Eastfield Primary until the New Stane Primary was rebuilt in 2003.