Durness

History

Durness was formerly a part of the bishopric of Caithness and the old house at Balnakeil was originally the bishop's summer residence. The church at Balnakeil dates back to the Culdean monks but the existing ruined church is said to have been built by the monks from Dornoch Cathedral in the 13th century. At Ceannabeinne lies "Clach a Breitheanas" or the Judgement Stone. This was said to be where judgement was meted out to malefactors and those found guilty were thrown over the cliff to their doom below. The parish of Durness was for centuries a part of Dùthaich MhicAoidh, the land of the Clan Mackay, who held their title to the land extending from Melvich in the east to Kylesku in the west. The area is also important to the Clan Morrison, who live with their traditional allies, the Clan Mackay. "Many sanguinary battles, still recounted by tradition, were fought between the Mcleods and Macaulays on one side and the Morisons on the other. At last the Morisons were forced to leave Lewis and take refuge with that part of their clan which was settled in Duirness and Edderachyllius, Sutherland, where still, in 1793, the natives were all, except a few, of the three names of Mac Leay, Morison or Mcleod." Loch Eriboll was used by the battle fleet of King Haakon of Norway on its way south to the disastrous Battle of Largs in 1266. During the Second World War, the battle cruiser "Jamaica" sustained an outbreak of measles on board and was quarantined in the loch for months. At cessation of hostilities in 1945 it saw the surrender of some 30 German U-boats. During the Second World War, the RAF built a Chain Home radar station at Sango near Durness. After the war there was also a ROTOR radar station at Faraid Head near Balnakeil, part of which is used by the modern military range…

Geography

The main sources of employment in the village are crofting and tourism. It is the largest village in the northwestern corner of Scotland, has a population of around 400, and is on the A838 road. It is located on the north coast between the towns of Thurso, to the east, and Ullapool , to the south. This area is notable for being the most sparsely populated region in Western Europe. Until some 50 years ago, Durness was a predominantly Gaelic speaking area.

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Oystercatcher

  Haematopus ostralegus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  215
• Meadow Pipit

  Anthus pratensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  203
• White Wagtail

  Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  185
• Herring Gull

  Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763 · Aves
  169
• Mew Gull

  Larus canus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  168
• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  162
• Black-headed Gull

  Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  151
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  150