A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
Dornoch, Firth of, the estuary of the river Oikel. Commencing at Bonar-Bridge, at the SE end of the Kyle of Sutherland, it extends 9¼ miles east-south-eastward to Meikle Ferry, and thence 13 miles east-north-eastward till it merges with the North Sea at a line between Tarbat Ness and Brora. It has a varying width of 7½ furlongs above W ester Fearn Point, 2¾ furlongs at the Point itself, 1¼ mile below Easter Fearn, 3½ furlongs at Ardmore Point, 2¼ miles at Edderton, 51/8 furlongs at Meikle Ferry, 3¾ miles at Tain, 1¾ mile at the SE corner of Dornoch parish, and 10½ miles from Brora to Tarbat Ness. A shoal across it 3 miles below Tain, called Geyzen Briggs from occasioning a tumultuous roar of breakers, forms a great obstruction to navigation, yet is not so continuous as to hinder vessels, under direction of a pilot, from safely passing. The N side of the firth, between that bar and Meikle Ferry, offers some harbourage for small vessels in calm weather; and Cambuscurrie Bay, immediately above Meikle Ferry, forms an excellent roadstead, where vessels of considerable burden can lie at anchor, and where good harbour accommodation could easily be provided. The Great North Road, with nexus at Meikle Ferry, was formerly the main line of communication between the southern and the northern shores, but always was subject to delay at the ferry, so that the road round by Bonar-Bridge, though very circuitous, came to be generally preferred; and now the railway, consisting of the Highland line on the S side and the Sutherland line on the N side, takes the same round about route. The waters of the firth abound in shellfish, cod, and haddocks, but never have been vigorously fished.—Ord. Sur., shs. 102,93,94,1881-78.
(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)
| Linked entities: | |
|---|---|
| Feature Description: | "the estuary of the river Oikel" (ADL Feature Type: "estuaries") |
| Administrative units: | Sutherland ScoCnty |
| Place: | Dornoch |
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