Loch Naver

Loch Naver
View from the north shore of Loch Naver
Loch Naver
Location	Scotland
Coordinates	58°17′49″N 4°21′32″W / 58.297°N 4.359°W / 58.297; -4.359
Type	Loch
Primary inflows	River Mudale, River Vagastie
Primary outflows	River Naver
Basin countries	United Kingdom
Max. length	9.7 kilometres (6.0 mi)
Surface elevation	75 metres (246 ft)
Islands	1
Settlements	Alltnaharra, Klibreck, Reidhackaistell, Dailmallhart

Loch Naver is a large loch in the Farr Parish of Sutherland in the Highland Council Area in Northern Scotland. The B873 main road is on the north side of the loch. The loch has many settlements and former settlements on its shores and more larger ones in its vicinity.^[1][2]

Historically Loch Naver was a popular area for Crofting and Fishing throughout most of the 19th Century, before the Sutherland Clearances forced tenants out of the area leaving most of the settlements on the loch abandoned. The area is now a minor tourist destination and a popular area for fishing.^[3]

Etymology

The name of Loch Naver is one of the oldest in Great Britain, writings of Ptolomy from the 2nd Century mention the area now known as Strathnaver from the Greek word "Nabh" believed to roughly mean cloud or wet cloud. It is believed that it was named like this because of the fog in the area. Loch Naver is the source of the water which runs through this valley and inherited the same name.^[4]

History

Broch at Grummore by the banks of the lake

The entire Strathnaver area is believed to have had residents since the last Ice Age but might have even inhabited by Neanderthals at one point.^[4] The oldest evidence of residence on the banks of the Loch date back to around 100 BC with a Broch located in the settlement of Grummore.^[5] By the 11th Century, the area was rules by the Earls of Caithness however in the late 12th Century the area was taken over by the Norse after a battle at Dalharrold at the eastern edge of the Loch.^[6] Around this time, many crofting and fishing settlements were inhabited on the Loch. Including Grummore, Klibreck, Reidhachaisteil, Dailmalhard, Dalharrold and Ruighnasealbhaig.

Loch Naver and the area around it, were affected a lot by the sutherland clearances. The clearances began in 1813 around the entire Strathnaver area however it isn't clear if any of the evictions were on the Loch. In 1819 clearances continued at a much larger scale including the depopulation of the entire settlement of Grummore and by the end of the 19th Century the banks of Loch Naver were almost completely unpopulated.^[7]

Geography

The River Naver, primary outflow of Loch Naver

Loch Naver is the head and the source of Strathnaver, it is elevated 75 metres above sea level, the Loch is around 6 miles (10 km) in length and averages around one third of a mile (600m) in width. The area of the loch is 2 and one quarter square miles or 1446 acres.^[1][3]

Inflows and Outflows

Shoreline of Loch Naver

The primary inflow into the Loch is the River Mudale which flows from Loch Meadie and Loch Fiag. The river flows into the Loch from the North-Western edge of the Loch. Other inflows include the River Vagastie, Grummore Burn and the Klibreck Burn.^[8][9]

• River Mudale
• Grummore Burn
• Allt Gruama Beag
• Allt Dail a Thuraich
• Allt Ruigh na Sealbhaig
• Allt Creagach
• Klibreck Burn
• River Vagastie

The Primary Outflow of Loch Naver is The River Naver.

Settlements

Grummore

Loch Naver has the following settlements on its shores:

• Klibreck
• Grummore
• Grumbeg
• Reidhackaisteil
• Dailmalhard
• Ruighnasealbhaig

And there are also some near its shores:

• Alltnaharra
• Dalharrold

Other uses of the name

Locomotive 132 of the Highland Railway Loch Class was named after the Loch.

References

1. "Loch Naver, Highland - area information, map, walks and more". OS GetOutside. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
2. "Loch Naver | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
3. https://maps.nls.uk/dcn6/7443/74433012.6.pdf
4. Strathnaver Trail (PDF), Highland Council, 2003, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-06 - good general history of the area.
5. Mackenzie, A.F.D.A. F. D. (July 2004), "Re-imagining the land, North Sutherland, Scotland", Journal of Rural Studies, 20 (3): 273–287, doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2003.11.001
6. "Sutherland and Caithness in Saga-Time". Bookrags.com. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
7. Richards, Eric (2013). The Highland Clearances: people, landlords and rural turmoil (New ed.). Edinburgh: Birlinn. ISBN 978-1-78027-165-1.
8. "Map | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
9. "Pin point and share locations with dropped pins | OS Maps". explore.osmaps.com. Retrieved 2023-12-01.