Originally published in the Scotsman on 16 July 2016 Altimarlach Farm is a place in Caithness situated by a small watercourse now called ... Continue Reading about Altimarlach ~ Allt nam Mèirleach
Iona ~ Eilean Ì
Originally published in the Scotsman on 9 July 2016 Our earliest recorded mention of Iona comes from the Latin Vita Columbae, a book ... Continue Reading about Iona ~ Eilean Ì
Dumbarton Rock ~ Ail Chluaidh / Creag Chluaidh
Originally published in the Scotsman on 2 July 2016 This rock was an important strategic site in late antiquity and it is perhaps no ... Continue Reading about Dumbarton Rock ~ Ail Chluaidh / Creag Chluaidh
Bannockburn ~ Allt a’ Bhonnaich
Originally published in the Scotsman on 25 June 2016 This name has a complicated history. The name of the current settlement takes its ... Continue Reading about Bannockburn ~ Allt a’ Bhonnaich
River Ugie ~ Uige
Originally published in the Scotsman on 18 June 2016 This river, which flows through Buchan and enters the sea near Peterhead, rises as ... Continue Reading about River Ugie ~ Uige
Penrith ~ Pìorait
Originally published in the Scotsman on 11 June 2016 It is not only places in Scotland that have Gaelic names. The town of Penrith in ... Continue Reading about Penrith ~ Pìorait
Saint Kilda ~ Hiort
Originally published in the Scotsman on 4 June 2016 The English name of this remote island sounds as if it is named after a holy ... Continue Reading about Saint Kilda ~ Hiort
Maggieknockater ~ Magh an Fhùcadair
Originally published in the Scotsman on 28 May 2016 This odd-looking Banffshire name has given rise to a number of fanciful derivations, ... Continue Reading about Maggieknockater ~ Magh an Fhùcadair
Culloden ~ Cùil Lodair
Originally published in the Scotsman on 16 April 2016 For obvious reasons Culloden (Cullodyn in 1238) was a very well-known name in ... Continue Reading about Culloden ~ Cùil Lodair
Tyndrum ~ Taigh an Droma
Originally published in the Scotsman on 14 May 2016 There are two places with this name. The better-known one is in Gaelic Taigh an Droma ... Continue Reading about Tyndrum ~ Taigh an Droma
Càrn Eighe ~ Càrn Èite
Originally published in the Scotsman on 7 May 2016 Càrn Eighe (as it appears on modern maps) is a mountain in Strathglass to the west of ... Continue Reading about Càrn Eighe ~ Càrn Èite
Birnam ~ Braonan
Originally published in the Scotsman on 30 April 2016 Birnam (Brannan in 1345) most likely reflects braonan, ‘little wet place’. The same ... Continue Reading about Birnam ~ Braonan
Lamlash ~ Eilean MoLaise
Originally published in the Scotsman on 23 April 2016 The name of Lamlash (Helantmlaysche late 14th Century) on the Isle of Arran has a ... Continue Reading about Lamlash ~ Eilean MoLaise
Dunnichen ~ Dùn Eachain
Originally published in the Scotsman on 21 May 2016 The Irish Annals record a battle in 685 between the Picts and the Northumbrians at a ... Continue Reading about Dunnichen ~ Dùn Eachain
River Clyde ~ Abhainn Chluaidh
Originally published in the Scotsman on 9 April 2016 The River Clyde is one of the oldest Scottish names for which we have a record; the ... Continue Reading about River Clyde ~ Abhainn Chluaidh
Lochnagar ~ Loch na Gàire / Beinn nan Cìochan
Originally published in the Scotsman on 2 April 2016 The name of this famous mountain is puzzling: Why does this mountain have the name ... Continue Reading about Lochnagar ~ Loch na Gàire / Beinn nan Cìochan
Linlithgow ~ Gleann Iucha
Originally published in the Scotsman on 26 March 2016 The name Linlithgow (first recorded in 1138 as Linlidcu) is of ‘British’ origin, ... Continue Reading about Linlithgow ~ Gleann Iucha
Three Kings Rock / Creag Harail / Mic an Rìgh
There is a sea rock at NH857727 of the coast of Nigg which is marked on a number of maps as ‘Three King’s Rock'. In the Robertson ... Continue Reading about Three Kings Rock / Creag Harail / Mic an Rìgh
Hill o’ Hirdie, the Clootie Well at Munlochy and Saint Curitan
The habit of tying a piece of rag or cloth to a tree so that people might be cured was once a more commonplace practice in Scotland but has ... Continue Reading about Hill o’ Hirdie, the Clootie Well at Munlochy and Saint Curitan
Glaic an Rìgh or `the King’s Hollow’
As a place-name researcher I come across much material which does not get included in the database but is nonethtless interesting. This ... Continue Reading about Glaic an Rìgh or `the King’s Hollow’