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Strathnaver
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Strathnaver
Strathnaver or Strath Naver (Scottish Gaelic: Srath Nabhair) is the fertile strath of the River Naver, a famous salmon river that flows from Loch Naver to the north coast of Scotland. The term has a broader use as the name of an ancient province also known as the Mackay Country (Scottish Gaelic: Dùthaich MhicAoidh), once controlled by the Clan Mackay and extending over most of northwest Sutherland.
Loch Naver lies at the head of the strath, in the shadow of Ben Klibreck. The loch is 10 km (6 mi) long and 33 m (108 ft) deep. The Altnaharra Hotel at the western end of the loch has been used by anglers since the early 19th century. The loch is fed by two rivers (Mudale and Vagastie) and several burns. Just below the loch, the Naver is joined by the River Mallart coming down from Loch Choire. It then flows through the Naver Forest and under the road bridge at Syre. The Langdale Burn and Carnachy Burn are other major tributaries as the strath widens out and flows into the sea at Bettyhill.
Most of Strathnaver lies in the ecclesiastical and former civil parish of Farr, named after a village on the coast northeast of Bettyhill, where the former parish church now houses the Strathnaver Museum. Today it is administered as part of the Highland Council area.
The Nabaros is mentioned by the Greek writer Ptolemy in the 2nd century and is shown on his map. The name may derive from nabh, an Indo-European root meaning "cloud". There is evidence of Neolithic settlements in the strath, including a "village" on the raised beach opposite Bettyhill.
There are several brochs in the strath and on the hills on either side, including one by Loch Naver at Grummore dating to between 100BC and 100AD.
By the eleventh century, the Norwegian family who ruled Orkney were Earls of Caithness and extended their control into Strathnaver. In the late 12th century, Earl Harald Maddadsson was defeated at the battle at Dalharrold, where the River Naver issues from the loch, by the Norse King of the Hebrides, Rognvald Godrodarson, with a combined force of Irish and Hebrideans. Harald was driven down the strath to the coast, and escaped to Orkney. The Orkneyinga Saga says however that Harold stayed in Orkney, and this location of the battle rests solely on tradition.
Clan Mackay now came to prominence; in 1408, Angus Dubh Mackay attained power. After the Battle of Dingwall in 1411, he married Elizabeth Macdonald, sister of Donald Macdonald, Lord of the Isles. By 1427, the Mackay was important enough to be one of the chiefs summoned to a parliament in Inverness, where they were arrested by the treachery of James I. At that time he had 4000 men under his command according to the Scotichronicon; such power led to his nickname of Enneas-en-Imprissi or "Angus the Absolute".
The Earls of Sutherland contested control of Strathnaver with the Mackays for centuries; in 1230, the courtesy title Lord Strathnaver was created for the heir to the Sutherland earldom. The two families usually took opposing sides; for example, in 1554, the Regent Mary of Guise paid expenses incurred by the 11th Earl of Sutherland to arrest Iye Mackay and bring him to Edinburgh. In 1578, John Robson and Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland fought the men of Strathnaver led by the Mackays in the battle of Creag-Drumi-Doun, up on Druim Chuibhe opposite Bettyhill.
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Strathnaver AI simulator
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Strathnaver
Strathnaver or Strath Naver (Scottish Gaelic: Srath Nabhair) is the fertile strath of the River Naver, a famous salmon river that flows from Loch Naver to the north coast of Scotland. The term has a broader use as the name of an ancient province also known as the Mackay Country (Scottish Gaelic: Dùthaich MhicAoidh), once controlled by the Clan Mackay and extending over most of northwest Sutherland.
Loch Naver lies at the head of the strath, in the shadow of Ben Klibreck. The loch is 10 km (6 mi) long and 33 m (108 ft) deep. The Altnaharra Hotel at the western end of the loch has been used by anglers since the early 19th century. The loch is fed by two rivers (Mudale and Vagastie) and several burns. Just below the loch, the Naver is joined by the River Mallart coming down from Loch Choire. It then flows through the Naver Forest and under the road bridge at Syre. The Langdale Burn and Carnachy Burn are other major tributaries as the strath widens out and flows into the sea at Bettyhill.
Most of Strathnaver lies in the ecclesiastical and former civil parish of Farr, named after a village on the coast northeast of Bettyhill, where the former parish church now houses the Strathnaver Museum. Today it is administered as part of the Highland Council area.
The Nabaros is mentioned by the Greek writer Ptolemy in the 2nd century and is shown on his map. The name may derive from nabh, an Indo-European root meaning "cloud". There is evidence of Neolithic settlements in the strath, including a "village" on the raised beach opposite Bettyhill.
There are several brochs in the strath and on the hills on either side, including one by Loch Naver at Grummore dating to between 100BC and 100AD.
By the eleventh century, the Norwegian family who ruled Orkney were Earls of Caithness and extended their control into Strathnaver. In the late 12th century, Earl Harald Maddadsson was defeated at the battle at Dalharrold, where the River Naver issues from the loch, by the Norse King of the Hebrides, Rognvald Godrodarson, with a combined force of Irish and Hebrideans. Harald was driven down the strath to the coast, and escaped to Orkney. The Orkneyinga Saga says however that Harold stayed in Orkney, and this location of the battle rests solely on tradition.
Clan Mackay now came to prominence; in 1408, Angus Dubh Mackay attained power. After the Battle of Dingwall in 1411, he married Elizabeth Macdonald, sister of Donald Macdonald, Lord of the Isles. By 1427, the Mackay was important enough to be one of the chiefs summoned to a parliament in Inverness, where they were arrested by the treachery of James I. At that time he had 4000 men under his command according to the Scotichronicon; such power led to his nickname of Enneas-en-Imprissi or "Angus the Absolute".
The Earls of Sutherland contested control of Strathnaver with the Mackays for centuries; in 1230, the courtesy title Lord Strathnaver was created for the heir to the Sutherland earldom. The two families usually took opposing sides; for example, in 1554, the Regent Mary of Guise paid expenses incurred by the 11th Earl of Sutherland to arrest Iye Mackay and bring him to Edinburgh. In 1578, John Robson and Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland fought the men of Strathnaver led by the Mackays in the battle of Creag-Drumi-Doun, up on Druim Chuibhe opposite Bettyhill.
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