Clachtoll

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Clachtoll
Bay of Clachtoll.jpg
Clachtoll Beach
Sutherland UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Clachtoll
Location within the Sutherland area
OS grid reference NC039269
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Lairg
Postcode district IV27 4
Police Scotland
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
List of places
UK
Scotland
58°11′17″N5°20′15″W / 58.18805°N 5.33739°W / 58.18805; -5.33739

Clachtoll (Scottish Gaelic : Clach Toll) is a coastal fishing and crofting village situated on the Bay of Clachtoll, in the ancient parish of Assynt, Sutherland county, in the Highland Council area on the north western edge of Scotland. [1] It is in the postal district of Lairg, a larger village about fifty miles (80 km) inland. South of the village center is the start of the Clachtoll Peat Road––a hiking trail that extends into the Scottish Highlands with stunning views of Suilven and other mountains in the distance. [2]

The name Clachtoll derives from Gaelic, and refers to the very large broken rock, the remains of a natural arch (Gaelic: clach is "stone" or "rock" and toll means "hole", "cavity", etc.) on the headland near Clacktoll beach. Adjacent to the beach is a memorial to the Reverend Norman Macleod, a charismatic evangelical Protestant minister who was born in the area and eventually settled in Waipu, New Zealand. [3]

North of Clachtoll and adjacent to Stoer beach sits an Iron Age broch, a double walled tower standing by the sea shore with walls still standing up to 3 metres/10 feet high, although believed to have been originally much taller. [4] The broch features an impressive blue-green soapstone grinding stone. Archaeological excavation between 2017 and 2020 revealed that broch was probably built between 400 and 250 BC, and was burnt down between BC 50 and 25 AD . [5]

References

  1. "Clachtoll". The Gazetteer for Scotland. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  2. "Walk Report - Clachtoll & Stoer Peat Roads". Walkhighlands. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  3. "62621: Rev Norman Macleod – Hebridean Connections". hebrideanconnections.com. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  4. "Pre-History". Coigach and Assynt Heritage Trail. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  5. Current Archaeology 367, October 2020.
Clachtoll sign.jpg
Clachtoll Sign by Road B869
Clachtoll waterfront.jpg
Waterfront at Clachtoll
Suilven from Clachtoll Peat Road.jpg
Suilven as seen from the Clachtoll Peat Road
Clachtoll broch.jpg
Iron-age Broch at Clachtoll