Loch Leathad a Bhaile Fhogair
The loch of the autumn settlement
Photo copyright Stevan Lockhart.
Poll an Droiginn -
Sidean Poll an Droighinn
The boggy place of the blackthorn
The fairy hill of the boggy place of the blackthorn
Eilean nan Gobhar
Goat Island
Baile na Cille
There are numerous Baile na Cille or variants of the name in the north west. Balnakeil near Durness is one, and Baile na Cille at Inchnadamph was Scoticised to Kirkton
Settlement of the Church
Sìdhean nan Ealachan
The pointed hill of the swans
Bogha nam Meann
Bogha refers to a "blinder" or a semi-submerged rock. Note difference to nearby "Sgeirr nam Meann"
Rock (semi-submerged) of the Kid (young goat) rock
Sgeirr nam Meann
Note the difference to "Bogha nam Meann"
Rock of the Kid (young goat)
Sgeirr na Tràghad
These sheer angled sheets of the living rock are very distinctive.
The rock of the seashore
Airigh Bheag
Airigh - shieling or hill pasture
The small hill pasture
Cnoc Bioraig
An interesting example of the difficulty of place names. Depending on the gender of the original name, long forgotten, this hill could mean hillock of the Dutch rushes, or horsetail (equisetum). It is not thought that equisetum flourished here, so on balance, it is likely to refer to the shape of the hill, the side tooth of a horse. In general, though, "bioraig" refers to a pointy thing, rather than something as specific as the above possibilities
Pointy hillock
Loch an Aigeil
Locally known as Preas Loch
Pool Loch
Notable Assynt resident and Assynt Gaelic native speaker Ishbel MacAuley referred to this loch as Preas Loch, the loch of the thicket.
Achnacarnin
The field of the cairns
Tourism group document
Achmelvich
Achadh melr vik
Field marram grass bay
Field of the bent grass
Tourism group document says name of "Field of Sand Dunes", but this is unlikely
Gemma Smith https://www.assyntplacenames.net/files/original/77cefce9217ac9797436b680d1a984da.pdf pg 38
Ardroe
High headland
Tourism Group document
Ardvar
High point
Tourism group document
Ardvreck
Note "breac" may also mean trout.
Speckled point
Tourism group document
Photograph copyright Stevan Lockhart
Altnacealgach
The burn of the deceivers
Tourism group document
Baddidarach
A clump of oaks - place of the oak
Tourism group document
Badnaban
Place of women
Tourism group document
Balchladich
Village by the shore
Tourism group document
Clachtoll
Not referring to the split rocks, the place is named after a blowhole near the iconic rocks
On marine charts (Navionics) it appears as A' Clach Thuill
Stone with the hole
Tourism group document
Clashmore
Big gully
Tourism group document
Clashnessie
Gully of the waterfall
Tourism group document
Culag
Nook or recess
Tourism group document
Culkein
Cul ciin - behind the head (of the dyke) (Maclean 2015)
Behind the headland or behind the head of the dyke
Tourism group document
Photo copyright Stevan Lockhart