Coldbackie

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Coldbackie
Coldbackie by Tongue - geograph.org.uk - 9901.jpg
Coldbackie by Tongue
Sutherland UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Coldbackie
Location within the Sutherland area
OS grid reference NC613599
  Edinburgh 183 mi (295 km)
Civil parish
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LAIRG
Postcode district IV27
Dialling code 01847
List of places
UK
Scotland
58°30′22″N4°22′55″W / 58.506°N 4.382°W / 58.506; -4.382

Coldbackie (Scottish Gaelic : Callbacaidh) is a crofting township in Sutherland and is in the Scottish council area of Highland Scotland. [1]

Contents

Geography

Coldbackie lies at the mouth of the Kyle of Tongue, 2 miles (3.2 km) north east of Tongue. It sits under Cnoc an Fhreiceadain (the Watch Hill), looking north across Tongue Bay to the Rabbit Islands. It is one of a series of townships, running from Tongue along the A836 to Blandy. The township of Scullomie is 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north.

Etymology

The name Coldbackie could have old Norse or Gaelic roots. The place name Coldbackie is not unique to the Kyle of Tongue, with there being two Coldbacks in Shetland (in Unst and Delting) and one in north west Iceland, both areas where Norse roots would be more likely. Omand, in The Sutherland book, translates Coldbackie as kula-bakki, bank with the bump, whilst Stewart, in Place names of Shetland says that Coldbacks is Cold Hill.

References

  1. "Coldbackie". The Gazetteer for Scotland. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 17 June 2018.