Ainmean-àite tuath air Mealabhaig

Place-names north of Melvaig

 

Extract from ‘Ainmean-àite A’ Rubha Rèidh / Place-names of A’ Rubha Rèidh’

(still to be produced!)

 

Nevis Hulme

 

Second provisional edition

 

 

            F. Coastal place-names from An Àird Ghlas, at the north end of Mealabhaig (Melvaig) north to Rubha Rèidh Lighthouse and places to the west of the road

 

            Around the lighthouse

 

            G. Inland place-names from east of the lighthouse road to a little beyond the Camas Mòr path and north to northing 91

            grid squares    

                        7488-7490                               7588-7590                               7688-7690                               7788-7790                                     7888-7890

 

            H. Coastal place-names from Rubha Rèidh Lighthouse to A’ Staca Ruadh (792929) including all place-names north of northing 91 to Locha Dring (7790)

 

            I. Inland place-names from Locha Dring (7790) adjacent to and north of the path towards An Camas Dubh (783924)

 

            A selection of place-names on and easily visible from the road from Mealabhaig (Melvaig) to A’ Rubha (Rubha Rèidh)

 

 

F. Coastal place-names from An Àird Ghlas, at the north end of Mealabhaig (Melvaig) north to Rubha Rèidh Lighthouse and places to the west of the road

 

Burns shown in bold for reference in this section.

Places above the shore have been indented.

 

F1. 736872 An Àird Ghlas                 n art ghlas                              the grey promontory

                        the seaward extension of An Cnoc Breac     

                        O.S. map: Aird Ghlas

 

            F2. 738872 An Cnoc Breac                krohk brAhk                        the speckled knoll

                                   the hill on which A' Chachaileath Ruadh is found; far an robh iad a’dèanamh uisge-beatha

                                    O.S. map: Cnoc Breac

 

            F3. 739872 Cùl na Buaile                   kool n bool                         the back of the cattle fold

                                   each side of the road where it levels out at the top of the hill out of Mealabhaig; there appears to be a large enclosure nearer the sea on An Àrd Ghlas and this may be the fold to which the name refers            

 

F4. 7387 Faic Nighean Uilleam          fAhk nEn oolyam                  the hiding place of William’s daughter

L                      this is just to the north of An Àird Ghlas      

 

F5. 7387 Geodha nan Con                  gyo nn kon                            the gully of the dogs

L                      again, this is just to the north of An Àird Ghlas

 

F6. 736872 Port na h-Àirde                port  n ha:rt                                 the landing of the promontory           

                        short for ‘Port na h-Àirde Glaise’ (port  n hart ghlash, the landing of An Àird Ghlas); this is in the first place with a shingle beach north of An Àird Ghlas; it is steep-sided with a steep rocky descent to it where boats were nevertheless landed

                        O.S. map: Port na h-Airde     

 

F7. 736873 A’ Chùl-chreag                chool chrAk                         the back rock

                        this is the rock to the north of Port na h-Àirde and south of the mouth of Allt Bhadan nan Taighean; bha poll ri taobh a’ Chùl-chreag agus 'se do chliathaich a tha ris a' mhuir; dar a tha thu creagach oirre ’s ann ri tùbh a tha t’aghaidh, bha ’n cùl ris a’ chreag

                        O.S. map: Cùl-chreag

 

F8. 736873 An Toll Uisg                    n tOl aoshk                           the water hollow

                        this is at the mouth of Allt Bhadan nan Taighean

 

F9. 736873 Allt Bhadan nan Taighean   alt vatan nn tahEn          the burn of the clump of the houses

                       the first small burn just after Cùl na Buaile

                        O.S. map: Allt Badan nan Tigheann

           

F10. 736874 Camas nan Gobhar        kams nn gOoor                     the bay of the goats

                        the bay, about 100 metres long, to the north of the mouth of Allt Bhadan nan Taighean    

                        O.S. map: Camas na Gaibhre

F11. 736876 An Camas Dubh                        ∂n kam∂s doo                          the black bay

                        a narrow bay just north of Camas nan Gobhar with a gully extending inland from it          

                        O.S. map: Camas Dubh

            F12. 7387 A’ Slios Cas                       shlis kas                                the steep slope

            L                      the slope above the shore from Camas  nan Gobhair (from its south end?) to Camas a’ Bhacain                       

                       

            F13. 736876 Sgath a’ Cheàird            ska chya:sht                         the --? of the tinker

            L                      this is thought to be a steep-sided hollow that cuts into A’ Slios Cas          

F14. 736876 Umha Chàis                       oo cha:sh                               the cave of cheese?

L                      in the same area as the next place

           

F15. 736876 Leac Umha Chàis          lyehk oo cha:sh                     slab of the cave of cheese?

                        the rock extending from Rubha Chàis           

                        O.S. map: Leac Uamh a’ Chaise

F16. 736876  Camas a’ Bhacain         kams vahkan                       the bay of the wee-bank?

                        the next bay, this being, at most, 100 metres north of Camas nan Gobhar; O.S. name not known

                        O.S. map: Camas Uamh a’ Chaise

                       

F17. 736877 A’ Leac Dhubh              lyehk ghoo                            the black slab

                        this extends from Camas a’ Bhacain for about 100 metres

                       

                        (this tale could relate to any one of many of the slabs along the coast about here and is certainly not necessarily this one which was only chosen as being the first, named, possible contender)

                        D p.47  Fionnla Dubh na Saighead and a Chisholm caused MacLeods from Assynt, who had come to seek revenge for an earlier insult addressed to their chief, to flee having killed, with arrows, a number of the attackers. ‘leac, or flat stone, close to the edge of the low cliff about a mile north of Melvaig; the leac is still pointed out.’

 

F18. 736877 A’ Sgeir Mhòr                sker vO:r                               the big skerry

                        this lies off A’ Leac Dhubh   

                        O.S. map: Sgeir Mhòr

 

            F19. 738877 An t-Acha Dubh               n tach doo                         the black field

                                   walled field on the west side of the road                  

                                    O.S. map: Achadh Dubh

           

            F20. 737877 Bothan an Acha Dhuibh   bohan n ach ghooE           the bothy of An t-Acha Dubh

                                   the ruin is still to be seen amongst rushes; bha iad aig an àirigh ann

                                               

F21. 736878 Rubha Chàis                  roo,oo cha:sh                          the headland of cheese?

L                      it is thought that this may be where Sròn a’ Bhùtha is shown on the map

                        O.S. map: Sròn a’ Bhùtha

 

F22. 736878 Na Camasan Dearga      n kamsn jerek                         the red bays

                        name for the two bays, given below, separated by An Teangaidh Chaol

                        O.S. map: Camasain Dearga

 

F23. 737878 An Camas Dearg Shuas  n kams jerek hoos the south red bay

                        this is just south of A’ Leac Thraghad; here ‘shuas’ is used in the sense of south rather than up

 

F24. 736878 An Teangaidh Chaol      n tjeghE chaol                       the narrow tongue

                        this is obvious from the map as a narrow ridge

           

F25. 737879 An Camas Dearg Shìos    n kams jerek hEs              the north red bay

                        here ‘shìos’ is used in the sense of north rather than down; the bay to the north of

                        An Teangaidh Chaol

 

F26. 736879 A’ Leac Thraghad          lyehk ra,at                            the ebb slab

                        this is shown on the map as an area of rock that remains above high water

                        O.S. map: Leac an Traghaidh           

           

F27. 737881 Camas na’ Ròp              kams n ro:hp                       the bay of the ropes

                        this is at the mouth of Allt Glac na Tobrach; bha iad a’ dèanamh uisge-beatha ann uaireigin, agus ‘s ann air ròp a bha iad a’ dul a-bhàn ann          

                        O.S. map: Camas nan Rop

 

F28. 737881 Allt Glac na Tobrach   alt glahk n toproch                the burn of Glac na Tobrach

                       the burn between An t-Acha Dubh and Allt a’ Bhutha; this name applies to the burn between the road and the shore; above the road it is called Allt Cnoc nan Caorach (alt krohk nn kaoroch, the burn of the knoll of the sheep) then Allt na Moine Comhraid (alt n mon kOrtj, the burn of the level peat) going upstream

                        O.S. map: Allt nan Tobraichean        

           

            F29. 738880 Glac na Tobrach    glahk n toproch                  the hollow of the well

                                   this is the valley of Allt Glac na Tobrach below the road

                                    O.S. map: Glac nan Tobraichean, Ï

                                                                       

            F30. 739881 Bothan Glac na Tobrach   bohan glahk n toproch       the bothy of Glac na Tobrach

                       the remains of this can be seen below the road between Allt Glac na Tobrach and Allt a’ Bhutha                       

 

F31. 737881 Camas an Eilean            kams n Alan                         the bay of the island

                        this is immediately north of Camas na’ Ròp  

                        O.S. map: Camas an Eilein, Ï

 

F32. 731886 Eilean Allt a’ Bhutha     Alan alt voo                        the island of Allt a’Bhutha

                        bha feadhainn a’ creagach air an eilean ach dh'fheuma tu an geodha a leum an còmhnaidh

                        O.S. map: Eilean Allt a’ Bhùtha, Ï

 

            F33. 737882 An Dòirnidh                  n do:rnE                                the ?landing-place

                        this was given as referring to the grassy area above the shore straddling the lowest part of Allt a’ Bhutha; it may have been transferred from the landing adjacent which is the only easy way to the shore in this area

 

F34. 736882 Allt a’ Bhutha               alt voo:                                 the burn of the green patch                

                       the burn at the more southerly bridge on the road; the O.S., with the accent, misinterprets this as ‘of the shop’ though it should then be ‘na Bùtha’; the last word (‘buth’ in its nominative form) is believed to refer to a grassy semi-circular floodplain found along a water-course with narrow valley floor

                        O.S. map: Allt a’ Bhùtha

 

            F35. 738884 An Garbhath Ìosal         n garava Eosl                       the bottom rough ford

                        a little above An Dòrnidh, as the slope on the north side of Allt a’ Bhutha becomes steeper, grassy patches may be seen suggesting a line rising diagonally from the burn; the lower                             extension of this is the location of the ford

 

            F36. 740882 Drochaid Allt a’ Bhutha   drohEtj alt voo:                 the Allt a’ Bhutha bridge

                                   the road enters a cutting to the north of this bridge; to the west of this cutting may be seen signs of an older bridge and a track climbing steeply from it

 

            F37. 740882 An Garbhath Meadhonach   n garava mEanoch          the middle rough ford

                                   the current road bridge lies over the location of the ford

 

F38. 736882 An t-Eas                         n tjes                                      the waterfall

Ø                     this is indicated at the mouth of Allt a’ Bhutha        

                        O.S. map: An t-Eas

 

F39. 736883 Leac an Eas                    lyehk nyes                             the slab of the waterfall

                        this is found to the north of the mouth of Allt a’ Bhutha                 

                        O.S. map: Leac an Easa, Ï   

 

F40. 736883 Geodh’ Dhòmh’aill ’ic Ùisdeon   gyo gho,al Ehk oo:shtjon   the gully of Donald, son of Hugh

                        the inlet around 50 metres to the north of the mouth of Allt a’ Bhutha                   

                        O.S. map: Geodh Dhomhnuill Uisdean, Ï

 

F41. 736884 Rubha na’ Ròn               roo,oo n ro:n                         the headland of the seals

                        this is the land between Geodh’ Dhòmh’aill ’ic Ùisdeon and Geodh’ a’ Cheum Chorraich

 

F42. 7388 Ùmh na’ Ròn                     oo n ro:n                               the cave of the seals

O  L                 this is presumably near to the Rubha na’ Ròn                                                                       

 

            F43. 737884 A’ Sgàirdean Ruadh      skarta roogh                        the reddish-brown scree

                                    the level land around 30 metres above the shore between Geodh’ Dhòmh’aill ’ic Ùisdeon and Geodh’ a’ Cheum Chorraich; the word ‘sgàirdean’ is sometimes used          for a piece of ground above a slope with scree               

                                    O.S. map: Sgartan Ruadh

 

            F44. 7388 Druim a’ Gharbhath           draoEm gharava                  the ridge of the rough ford

                                   the extent of this feature is unknown; the ‘rough ford’ is a reference to the difficult crossing of Allt a’ Bhutha before this burn was bridged; there were three crossing points, each with its own name

                                    O.S. map: Druim a’ Gharaidh, Ï

 

F45. 737885 An Ceum Corrach          n kAm koroch                       the unsafe path

                        this is at the northern end of A’ Sgardan Ruadh and leads into Geodh’ a’ Cheum Chorraich; bha ceum a’ dul sechad aig a’ braighe aige is cha d’reigheadh a h-uile duine ann; theireadh iad seo ris an leac ìosal cuideachd dheth am biodh feadhainn a’ creagach    

                        O.S. map: Ceum Corrach, Ï

 

F46. 736885 Geodh’ a’ Cheum Chorraich   gyo chAm chorEch    the gully of An Ceum Corrach

                        the gully at the northern end of A’ Sgairdean Ruadh

                        O.S. map: Geodh a' Chéim Chorraich, Ï

 

 

F47. 736886 Camas a’ Rabhuinn        kams  rahoon                      the bay of the tide-mark

                        the bay just north of Geodh’ a’ Cheum Chorraich and probably referring to the whole of   the bay here    

                        O.S. map: Camas Rabhain

                                                                                                                                   

F48. 735887 Camas an Eilean                        kams n Alan                         the bay of the island

                        this is believed to be the bay that goes behind the southern limb of the ‘T’ shaped peninsula named Sròn Eilean an Àir on the map; this is possibly the short form for Camas Eilean Mhic an Àir (kams Alan vEhk n a:r, the bay of  Mac an Àir’s island)             

                                                                                   

F49. 7388 Lag an Eilean                     lak n Alan                              the hollow of the island

L                      there is a grassy hollow above the shore and this may be Lag an Eilean; it is possibly the short form for Lag Eilean Mhic an Àir (lak Alan vEhk n a:r, the hollow of Mac an Àir’s island)

                       

F50. 735888 Sròin Eilean Mhic an Àir   stron Alan vEhk n a:r       the point of Mac an Àir’s island

                        b’ athair a’ Ghille Dhuibh Locha Draing Mac an Àir; short form: Sròin an Eilean

                        (stron n Alan)           

                        O.S. map: Sròn Eilean an Àir

 

F51. 735888 Eilean Mhic an Àir         Alan vEhk n a:r                    Mac an Àir’s island

L                      the first edition map shows this to be either the land of which Sròin Eilean Mhic an Àir is the point or just offshore of Sròin Eilean Mhic an Àir; the name An t-Eilean (n tjAlan, the       island) has been given too and these could all refer to the stack to the north which surely has a name         

                        O.S. map: Eilean Leac an Àir, Ï

 

F52. 7388 An Càrn Garbh                  n karn garav                          the rough cairn

                        this is thought to be the rocky ground inland of the ‘T’ shaped peninsula; àite mòr a th’ann aig a' chladach, fos cinn na mara, bhiodh  mada' ruaidh is biastan dubha ann

 

            F53. 738888 Na Cathraichean            n karEchn                            the fairy knolls

                                   low ridge below road before Allt a’ Bhad Sheilich on which there seems to be a number of ruins; also known as Cathraichean a’ Bhad Sheilich (karEchn vat hAlEch, the fairy knolls of Am Bad Seilich)

 

F54. 736891 Leacan a’ Bhad Sheilich   lyehkn vat hAlEch           the slabs of Am Bad Seilich

                        maybe wee slab (lyehkan); this is on the south side of the mouth of Allt a’ Bhad Sheilich; Am Bad Seilich means ‘ the willow clump’

           

F55. 736891 Allt a’ Bhad Sheilich    alt vat hAlEch                      the burn of Am Bad Seilich

                       this is just to the north of Na Cathraichean; Am Bad Seilich means ‘ the willow clump’

                        O.S. map: Allt Bad an t-Seilich

 

F56. 737892 Caochan na Creubhamh   kaochan n krAoo            the burn of the --?                  

                       this runs through An Càrnan Bàn

                        O.S. map: Caochan na Craoibhe, Ï

 

            F57. 731892 An Càrnan Bàn              n karnan ba:n            the fair wee cairn

                       ; a large area, about 300 metres by 300 metres on both sides of the road; bha iad a’ toir na clachan dhan an taigh-sholais bho Allt an Fhèidh, is bho Allt a’ Chleat aig àite ris an canadh iad An Càrnan Bàn, fos cinn Dòmhach

 

 

F58. 738894  Dòmhach                      do:och                                     --?

                        an odd name, possibly a person’s name; this is the headland to the west of the mouth of Allt a’ Chleat 

                        O.S. map: Am Brisdeadh, Ï              

 

F59. 738894 Allt a’ Chleat                alt chleht                               the burn of An Cleat              

                       it flows through a steep craggy gorge below, and easily visible from, the road; 

                        O.S. map: Allt na Cléite         

 

F60. 739895 An Cleat                                    n kleht                                   the hill

                        the land between Allt a’ Chleat and Brìdeach; stone for the lighthouse came from the south side of An Cleat; ‘cleat’ is from Norse and its gender and pronunciation varies (this may explain the O.S. form)

                        O.S. map: A’ Chléit, A’ Chlèit

 

 

F61. 738895 Ploc a’ Chleat                plohk chleht                         the lump of An Cleat

                        this is the large lump stretching into the sea north of the mouth of Allt a’ Cleat

 

F62. 738895 Sròin a’ Chleat               stron chleht                          the point of An Cleat

                        the westerly point of Ploc a’ Chleat; the O.S. misplaces this somewhat north

                        O.S. map: Sròn na Cléite, Sròn na Clèite

 

F63. 738892  Brìdeach                       brE:tjoch                                --?

                        like Dòmhach, an odd name, never used with the definite article; this is the headland named Sròn na Clèite on the O.S. map

                        O.S. map: Am Brisdeadh (if this is the same name, it is wrongly placed)     

 

F64. 738894 Camas Ruadh Bhrìdeach   kams roogh vrE:tjoch      the reddish-brown bay of Brìdeach

                        this is the shore immediately below Brìdeach (camas means ‘bay’ but also refers to the adjacent land); short form: An Camas Ruadh (n kams roogh, the reddish-brown bay)

                                                                                               

F65. 739894 An Geodh’ Ruadh         n gyow roogh          the reddish-brown gully

                        this extends from Camas Ruadh Bhrìdeach and is shown as a steep-sided gully on the map

                       

F66. 740898 Sròin an Eas                   stron nyes                             the point of the waterfall

                        this is immediately south of the mouth of Allt an Fhèidh

 

            F67. 742897 Cathair Allt an Fhèidh   kahr alt ne:E                     the fairy knoll of Allt an Fhèidh

                       a mound next to the road, and to its west, at the top of the hill going down to Allt an Fhèidh and southwest of the bridge

                                                                                                                       

F68. 740898 Allt an Fhèidh              alt ne:E                                 the burn of the deer

                       the burn at the more northerly bridge on the road     

                        O.S. map: Allt an Fhéidh, Allt an Fhèidh

 

F69. 740899 Creagaig                         krAkak                                   place of rocks

                        this is immediately north of the mouth of Allt an Fhèidh; this does not take the definite article

 

F70. 740899 Cladach Allt an Fhèidh kladoch alt an e:E                   the shore of Allt an Fhèidh

                        it is not known how far this extends 

                        O.S. map: Cladhach (sic) Allt an Fhéidh, Cladach Allt an Fhèidh    

 

F71. 740899 Camas Allt an Fhèidh                kams alt an e:E          the bay of Allt an Fhèidh

L                      possibly similar in location to Cladach Allt an Fhèidh

                                                                                                 

F72. 740901 Allt Creag an Fhùcatair   alt krAk n oo:hkhtI         the burn of (the crag of the fuller)     

                       the most southerly of three burns on the O.S. map north of Allt an Fhèidh; the whereabouts of Creag an Fhùcatair is not known; ‘I’ should be pronounced ‘Iy’

 

F73. 739902 Stac an Eich Ghlais        stahk n Ach ghlash               the stack of the grey horse

                        this is below the mouth of the middle burn shown on the O.S. map

                                                                                   

F74. 739905 Allt na Lèana Mòire    alt n len mO:r                           the burn of the big meadow

(•)                    the name of the most northerly of three burns on O.S. map north of Allt an Fhèidh from a little below the road to the sea; above it is called Allt nan Creagan Dearga (alt nn krAkan jerek∂, the burn of the red wee crags) from a little below the road and upstream

 

 

            F75. 743903 Na Creaganan Dearga    n krekann jerek                  the red wee crags

                                   rocky outcrops along the side of the road extending nearly as far as Leac an Fhadhbhair

 

F76. 7390 Na Camasan Dearga          nkamsn jerek                                          the red bays

Ø                     this name is shown on the original O.S. map as stretching from Geodha na’ Long to just south of Stac an Eich Ghlais but is now shown restricted to south of Am Ploc Gorm; its actual extent is not known but it could be a useful name for the stretch now indicated

L                      O.S. map: Camaisean Dearga, Camasan Dearga

 

F77. 739906 Am Ploc Gorm               m plohk gorom                                  the green lump

                        the large grass-covered lump jutting into the sea                              

                                                                                   

F78. 739907 Leac an Fhadhbhair       lehk nao,oor                         the slab of the blade

                       a rock extending out from the shore visible below the road where it comes close to the cliff; so called because of its sharp edge

 

F79. 7390 Camas Leac an Fhadhbhair   kams lyehk naooor          the bay of Leac an Fhadhbhair

                        this is to the north of Leac an Fhadhbhair

 

F80. 7390 Na h-Uamhagan Beaga      n hooa,akn bAk                       the little wee caves

                        these are to be found between Leac an Fhadhbhair and Sròin na h-Àrd-lic

                                                           

F81. 738909 Sròin na h-Àrd-lic          stron n ha:rd lEhk                 the point of An Àrd-lic

                        northing 91 passes just to the north of this feature; the O.S. map has this displaced 800 metres to the north and this mirrors similar displacements of Port ’an Amall and An t-Seann Sgeir; old cars were disposed of from the road above

                        O.S. map: Sròn na h-Ard-iolaich, Sròn na h-Airde Fholaich

 

F82. 738909 An Àrd-lic                     n a:rt lEhk                             the high slab

L                      adjacent to Sròin na h-Àrd-lic, presumably

 

F83. 7390 Creag Mhurchaidh             krAk vooroochE                     Murdo’s rock

L                      slab jutting into the sea between Sròin na h-Àrd-lic and Na Tuill Tharsainn

 

F84. 738912 Na Tuill Tharsainn         n tool harsn                         the cross(ways) holes

                        these dangerous twisted holes are just south of Geodha na’ Long

 

F85. 738914 Geodh’ na’ Long           gyo n lonk                             the gully of the boats

                        the inlet to the south of the one at the mouth of Allt Gheodh' na Bà Ruaidhe; boats came in here at the time of the building of the lighthouse

                                                                       

F86. 738914 Leac Geodh’ na’ Long   lehk gyo n lonk                     the slab of Geodh’ na’ Long  

                        this is north of Geodha na' Long; cement is to be seen here; ’s ann an sin a landaig iad a’ cement dhan taigh-solais

 

F87. 738915 Camas Leac a’ Steàrnan   kams lehk shtja:rnan       the bay of Leac a’ Steàrnan

L                      between Geodh’ na’ Long and Geodh’ na Bà Ruaidhe

 

F88. 738915 Leac a’ Steàrnan            lehk shtja:rnan                     the slab of the tern                             

L                      this is understood to be immediately south of Geodh' na Bà Ruaidhe         

 

F89. 739915 Geodh’ na Bà Ruaidhe   gyo n ba rooE                     the gully of the reddish-brown cow

                        this is below Allt Gheodh' na Bà Ruaidhe

                        O.S. map: Am Brat-folaich, Ï

 

F90. 739915 Allt Gheodh’ na Bà Ruaidhe   alt ghyo n ba rooE   the burn of Geodh’ na Bà Ruaidhe

                       this has more recently been called Allt an Tanc (alt n tank, the burn of the tank)

                        because of its use as the water supply for the lighthouse; an old bridge may be seen just up stream of the current road bridge                                               O.S. map: Allt a’ Bhrat-folaich

 

F91. 7391 Uamhag Fhionnlaigh Dhuibh   ooa,ak yoolI ghooE          wee cave of Black Finlay

L                      a little north of Geodh’ na Bà Ruaidhe and below a peatbank; named after Fionnlagh Dubh na Saighead, Black Finlay of the Arrow; bha e a’ fuireach anns an uamhag a bha siod, tha i tùbh Mhealabhaig dha Port ’an Amall

                       

F92. 7391 An Geodha Cam                n gyo kowm                         the hidden gully

L                      position to be determined


Around the lighthouse

 

F93. 739917 Port ’an Amall               porsht naml                         the landing of the swingle-trees

                       this is bay with a shingle beach south of the lighthouse; the O.S. badly mislocates this feature (see Sròin na h-Àrd-lic at grid reference 738909 in the next section); a swingle-tree                   is used to attach a number of horses to something to be pulled; local pronunciation                               suggests that the form given is preferred to that on the O.S. map; ’s ann ann a bha iad  a’ toir na clachan is a’ ghainmheach dhan an taigh-sholais                                       W p.228

                        O.S. map: Port an Amaill

                       

F94. 739917 Allt Port ’an Amall      alt porsht naml                    the burn of Port ’an Amall

                       this very small burn flows from An Innis Mhòr into Port ’an Amall

                                                                       

F95. 738918 A’ Rubha Gainmhich     roo,oo gene,Ech                    the sandy headland

                        this is the headland extending from the land on which the lighthouse is built

                                                                                   

F96. 738918 An Umha Gainmheach  n oo gene,Ech                      the sandy cave

                        this is the cave below, almost literally, the lighthouse

 

F97. 739919 An t-Seann-Sgeir           n jown skAr                           the old skerry

                       the shore rocks from Port ’an Amall (at its correct location, as given above) to Cidhe an Taigh-Sholais (the lighthouse jetty); ’se seo a theirear ris an àite ghon an deach an taigh-solais a thogail; it is not the single skerry named on the O.S. map                                 

W p.228                     

O.S. map: An Sean Sgeir

 

F98. 739919 A’ Rubha                       roo,oo                                   the headland 

       or  A’ Rubha Rèidh                     roo re:                                   the smooth headland

                       the promontory north of Gairloch is A’ Rubha; A’ Rubha Rèidh is the form of the name used by those on the sea; people of Mealabhaig call the area of the lighthouse An t-Seann-Sgeir                                                                                                                            

W p.228

                        O.S. map: Rudh’ Ré / Rubha Rèidh

 

                        D p.47, etc.  ‘ Rubha Reidh was then known as Seann Rudha, a name which is still sometime given to it.’

 

                        D p.219  ‘Between Gairloch and Loch Ewe is the promontory called the North Point, terminating in Rudha Reidh, or Ru Ré, . . .’ 

            F99. 741918 An Innis Mhòr   n Ensh vO:r                           the big sheltered hollow

                                   the valley-like feature, in which a walled enclosure next to the road may be seen, running from the road to Cidhe an Taigh-Sholais (the lighthouse jetty) and before the final descent to the lighthouse and above Port ’an Amall

 

            F100. 741917 Glac an Innis Mòire   glahk n Ensh mO:r    the hollow of An Innis Mhòr

                                              this is a green valley with pools leading from An Innis Mhòr

 

F101. 741921 Na Geodhanan             n gyowann                           the wee gullies

                       the large sloping slab between the lighthouse and Cidhe an Taigh-Sholais into which the sea has eroded a number of narrow, steep-sided gullies

 

F102. 742921 Cidhe an Taigh-Sholais   kE n taE holsh                  the lighthouse jetty

                       the remains of a short wagonway, used to bring supplies up from the jetty (and dumped into the adjacent gully when the light was automated), may be seen here; the map incorrectly shows Port ’an Amall as being here


G. Inland place-names from east of the lighthouse road to a little beyond the

     Camas Mòr path and north to northing 91

 

     (grid squares 7488-7490, 7588-7590, 7688-7690, 7788-7790, 7888-7890)

Grid squares 7488-7490

G1.743880 Allt Cnoc nan Caorach    alt krohk n∂n kaoroch            the burn of the knoll of the sheep      

                       this name applies to the burn to the east of the road; it is called Allt na Moine Comhraid (alt n∂ mon∂ kOr∂tj, the burn of the level peat) further upstream and Allt Glac na Tobrach (alt glahk n∂ toproch, the burn of Glac na Tobrach) west of the road

                        O.S. map: Allt nan Tobraichean

G2. 751876 Allt na Moine Comhraid   alt n∂ mon∂ kOr∂tj   the burn of the level peat

                       see Allt Cnoc nan Caorach above      

                        O.S. map: Allt nan Tobraichean

                                                                                   

F34. 7488 Allt a’ Bhutha                    alt voo:                                 the burn of the green patch                

                       the burn at the more southerly bridge on the road; the O.S., with the accent, misinterprets this as ‘of the shop’ though it should then be ‘na Bùtha’; the last word (‘buth’ in its nominative form) is believed to refer to a grassy semi-circular floodplain found along a

                        water-course with narrow valley floor

                        O.S. map: Allt a’ Bhùtha

 

G3. 742883 An Garbhath Urrad         n garava oort                        the top rough ford

                        if one walks upstream on the south bank of Allt a’ Bhutha from the road, the first easy crossing point found is the location of this ford; a trail of exposed stones can be followed from the ford to the present road on the south side of the burn.

G4. 745883 Na Lùban                                    n∂ loo:p∂n                               the bends

                        these are the meanders on Allt a’ Bhutha

G5. 745883 Faing na’ Lùban              faEnk n∂ loo:p∂n                    the fank of Na Lùban

                        this old stone-built fank is shown on the Explorer map

 

G6. 742884 An Tùr                             n too:r                                   the tower

                        this is nothing more than a cairn but one that is visible from some distance and that would have been useful for navigation especially before the construction of the line of poles for electricity.

 

G7. 7488 Cùl an Tùr                           kool n too:r                           the back of An Tùr

                        a (currently) undefined area to the north of An Tùr leading to Sùil nan Each

           

F55. 7489 Allt a’ Bhad Sheilich         alt ∂ vat hAlEch                      the burn of  Am Bad Seilich

                       this is just to the north of Na Cathraichean

                        O.S. map: Allt Bad an t-Seilich

 

G8. 7488 Am Bad Seilich                   m bat shAlEch                       the willow clump

                       the extent of this is uncertain and no difference has been discerned between the area given and that surrounding it but it is believed to be an area east of the road covering about 150 metres up Allt a’ Bhad Sheilich and 50 metres on each side; there appear to be no willows there now

           

G9. 748891 Bog an Alltan Ruaidh     bok n altan