It lies in a strath5 miles (8km) west of Dingwall, with the elevation ranging from 60 to 120m (200 to 400ft) above sea level. Sheltered on the west and north, it has a comparatively dry and warm climate.
History
Clach an Tiompain (also known as the Eagle Stone), a Class 1 Pictish symbol stone in Strathpeffer
The strategic location of the village has led to several battles being fought in the area:
Blar Nan Ceann (battle (field) of the heads), lies at the western end of the modern village (grid referenceNH47625773[2]). Very little is known about the battle there, not even its date, other than the MacKenzies of Seaforth defeated the MacDonells of Glengarry and some incident took place at a well near the battlefield, subsequently called Tobar a' Chinn (well of the head).
Battle of Blar Na Pairce (battle (field) of the park), in approximately 1486 saw the local MacKenzies, under their chief Kenneth MacKenzie, defeat a large invading force of MacDonalds. The battlefield lies south-west of the modern village, on the banks of Loch Kinellan. The loch contains a crannog, which remained a hunting seat of the Earls of Ross until the late medieval period and was reportedly visited by Robert The Bruce during his reign. It was from this crannog that Kenneth MacKenzie went out to meet the MacDonalds.
In the Victorian era Strathpeffer was popular as a spa resort, owing to the discovery of sulphurous springs in the 18th century. The pump-room in the middle of the village dates from 1819. Soon after that, a hospital and a hotel were also built. In 1942 the Spa hospital was destroyed by fire.[3] The Strathpeffer Pavilion dates from 1880, and was built to provide a venue for entertainment of the visitors. It fell into disuse and disrepair towards the end of last century, but has now been restored as a new venue for the arts, weddings, other functions, and events of all kinds.
Coal like material was found near Castle Leod in the 1700s and was worked for a short time. The material was evaluated by well known Mining Engineer John Geddes in the mid 1800s but it is not known if his suggestion that it should be further evaluated was implemented.
Railway
The arrival of the railways in Dingwall in 1862 did much to bring more visitors to the town. In 1885 a branch line from the Kyle of Lochalsh Line was built and Strathpeffer railway station was opened on 3 June; the most logical route for the line was through the town, but disagreements with landowners initially prevented the railway from crossing their land. The branch closed in February 1946.[4] The station now contains a variety of shops and craft outlets as well as the Highland Museum of Childhood. The station building itself is of classic Victorian architecture and still has the original platform which many shops front onto. The nearest stations are now in Dingwall and Garve.
A project is under way by the Strathpeffer Spa Railway Association to restore some of the track, buy an engine and run a short heritage line.[5]
Tourism
A view across Strathpeffer (facing north)
Strathpeffer's distinctive Victorian architecture has added to its appeal.[citation needed] Strathpeffer contains several large hotels and many guest houses, holiday cottages and B&B establishments. There is a scenic golf course, which boasts the longest drop from tee to green of any course in Scotland.[6]
Strathpeffer is the home of one of the world's most extreme mountain bike races, the Strathpuffer, a 24-hour event held in January each year.[7] Organised by Square Wheels bike shop, it uses the local trail network and regularly attracts over 400 competitors.
The Strathpeffer and District Pipe Band and local Highland dancers perform in the square every Saturday from end May to September, and this is a popular gathering for both visitors and residents. Nearby is Castle Leod, seat of the Earl of Cromartie, Chief of the Clan Mackenzie, which is now open to the public several times a year. The annual Strathpeffer Highland Gathering, one of the longest-established Highland Games in Scotland, takes place in the grounds of Castle Leod every August.
Strathpeffer is the home of Caberfeidh Camanachd Club who play their home games at Castle Leod. The team currently play in shinty's National Division One. They also field a reserve team in North Division Two. The team have twice won shinty's premier competition, the Camanachd Cup; in 1934 and 1939.
Notable people
Charles Kennedy (1959–2015) MP for the then seat of Ross, Cromarty & Skye lived here in the 1980s and early 1990s.[8]
Rev William Fraser (1851–1919) minister of Strathpeffer Free Church 1908 to 1919.
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in the United Kingdom. It was the 7th most populous council area in Scotland at the 2011 census. It shares borders with the council areas of Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Moray and Perth and Kinross. Their councils, and those of Angus and Stirling, also have areas of the Scottish Highlands within their administrative boundaries.
Dingwall is a town and a royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,491. It was an east-coast harbour that now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts of which may date back to the 12th century. In 1411 the Battle of Dingwall is said to have taken place between the Clan Mackay and the Clan Donald.
Ross and Cromarty, also referred to as Ross-shire and Cromartyshire, is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use, the latter of which is 8,019 square kilometres in extent. Historically there has also been a constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, a local government county, a district of the Highland local government region and a management area of the Highland Council. The local government county is now divided between two local government areas: the Highland area and Na h-Eileanan Siar. Ross and Cromarty border Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south.
Ross is a region of Scotland. One of the provinces of Scotland from the 9th century, it gave its name to a later earldom and to the counties of Ross-shire and, later, Ross and Cromarty. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning "headland", perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. Another possible origin is the West Norse word for Orkney – Hrossey – meaning horse island; the area once belonged to the Norwegian earldom of Orkney. Ross is a historical comital region, perhaps predating the Mormaerdom of Ross. It is also a region used by the Kirk, with the Presbytery of Ross being part of the Synod of Ross, Sutherland and Caithness.
Clan Mackenzie is a Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional genealogies trace the ancestors of the Mackenzie chiefs to the 12th century. However, the earliest Mackenzie chief recorded by contemporary evidence is Alexander Mackenzie of Kintail who died some time after 1471. Traditionally, during the Wars of Scottish Independence, the Mackenzies supported Robert the Bruce, but feuded with the Earls of Ross in the latter part of the 14th century. During the 15th and 16th-centuries the Mackenzies feuded with the neighboring clans of Munro and MacDonald. In the 17th century the Mackenzie chief was made Earl of Seaforth in the peerage of Scotland. During the Scottish Civil War of the 17th century the Mackenzies largely supported the Royalists. During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the chief and clan of Mackenzie supported the Jacobite cause. However, during the Jacobite rising of 1745 the clan was divided with the chief, Kenneth Mackenzie, Lord Fortrose, supporting the British-Hanoverian Government and his relative, George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie, supporting the Jacobites.
The Kyle of Lochalsh line is a primarily single-track railway line in the Scottish Highlands, from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh. Many of the passengers are tourists, but there are also locals visiting Inverness for shopping, and commuters. All services are provided by ScotRail and run beyond Dingwall to Inverness. In the past there were some through services to and from Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen. None of the line is electrified, and all trains on the line are diesel-powered, as are all other trains in the Scottish Highlands.
Newtonmore is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. The village is only a few miles from a location that is claimed to be the exact geographical centre of Scotland.
Stromeferry is a village, located on the south shore of the west coast sea loch, Loch Carron, in western Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland. Its name reflects its former role as the location of one of the many coastal ferry services which existed prior to the expansion of the road network in the 20th century.
Dingwall or Dingwell is a Scottish surname but is of Viking origin. One of the most prominent families by the name of Dingwall in Scotland were the Dingwalls of Kildun who were vassals of the Earl of Ross and also septs of the Clan Munro, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Muir of Ord is a village in Easter Ross, in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is situated near the western end of the Black Isle, about 9 miles (14 km) west of the city of Inverness and 5+1⁄2 miles (9 km) south of Dingwall. The village has a population of 2,840 and sits 35 metres (115 ft) above sea level. The Scottish geologist Sir Roderick Murchison was born in the village in 1792.
Caberfeidh Camanachd Club is a shinty team based in Strathpeffer, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. Consisting of two teams, Caberfeidh currently play in the Marine Harvest Premiership having been promoted from the National Division after the 2017 season.
Castle Leod is the seat of the Clan Mackenzie. It is a category A listed building, and the grounds are listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens. It is located near Strathpeffer in the east of Ross-shire in the Scottish Highlands.
The Battle of Drumchatt was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1497. The Clan Mackenzie and possibly the Clan Munro defeated the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh at Drumchatt (Druimchat) or "the Cat's Back", a ridge to the southeast of Strathpeffer.
The Dingwall and Skye Railway was authorised on 5 July 1865 with the aim of providing a route to Skye and the Hebrides. However, due to local objections, another Act of Parliament was required before work could commence. This was passed on 29 May 1868.
Sir Alexander Matheson, 1st Baronet, JP, DL was a British China merchant, Liberal Member of Parliament, and railway entrepreneur.
Alexander Mackenzie, known as "Ionraic", traditionally counted as 6th of Kintail, was the first chief of the Clan Mackenzie of whom indisputable contemporary documentary evidence survives. During his long life, he greatly expanded his clan's territories and influence.
The Battle of Blar na Pairce was a Scottish clan battle that took place just outside Strathpeffer some time between 1485 and 1491. It was fought between men of the Clan Donald or MacDonald and the Clan Mackenzie.
Kenneth Mackenzie, traditionally reckoned 7th of Kintail and nicknamed Coinneach a'bhlair, was a Highland chief, being head of the Clan Mackenzie.
Sir William Munro of Foulis was a Scottish Knight and Scottish clan chief of the highland Clan Munro. He is by tradition the 12th Baron of Foulis and 15th overall chief of the clan. However, he is actually only the 5th chief of the Clan Munro who can be proved by contemporary evidence.
Strathpeffer railway station was a railway station serving the town of Strathpeffer in the county of Ross and Cromarty,, Scotland. The first station was located some distance from the town, on the Dingwall and Skye Railway line, and was opened in 1870.
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