Ardnamurchan

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Ardnamurchan
Wfm ardnamurchan landsat.jpg
Ardnamurchan satellite image
Geographical location
Ardnamurchan (Scotland)
Ardnamurchan
Coordinates 56 ° 44 ′  N , 6 ° 0 ′  W Coordinates: 56 ° 44 ′  N , 6 ° 0 ′  W
Waters 1 Atlantic Ocean
length 25 km
width 10 km

Ardnamurchan (Scottish Gaelic: Àird nam Murchan) is a peninsula in western Scotland . On it is the westernmost point of the British main island , at 6 ° 16 'west longitude in Corrachadh Mòr . The Ardnamurchan Lighthouse near the Point of Ardnamurchan is about a kilometer to the north. The area is touristic, even for Scottish standards, little developed; the landscape is characterized by scree fields and dense forests. The so-called “Singing Sands” in Kentra Bay are a specialtywho are said to emit low tones when they enter. The sand consists of small, spherical grains and often has the moisture that makes it sound. Kentra Bay also marks the transition to the Moidart peninsula . The most important settlement is Strontian , after which the metal strontium was named, which was mined here. Attractions near the Ardnamurchan Point are the Mingarry Castle in Kilchoan , owned by the clans of MacDonald , the only low water attainable Castle Tioram and the legendary Loch Sunart .

Ardnamurchan Point

To the east of Kilchoan is the small bay Camus nan Geall , in the area of ​​which some archaeological sites can be found. At the end of 2011, a Viking Age ship grave was discovered on Ardnamurchan . It is the first finding of an intact Viking burial site in Great Britain that is more than a thousand years old.

Surname

The origin of the name Ardnamurchan is controversial. Two meanings seem most likely. Apart from the Scottish-Gaelic word Àirde (German: place or height), one interpretation refers to murchan or Muirchu (German: seal or otter), thus about "place of the seals". The other possible explanation relates to the word muirchol ( col: meanness) and figuratively means "place of pirates".

Stone box

Archaeologists found a Bronze Age stone box under a Rickys Cairn containing at least two corpses. This offers a different perspective on Bronze Age burials, which usually contain the remains of just one person in a crouching position.

Web links

Commons : Ardnamurchan  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Gaelic Place Names of Scotland - Ardnamurchan. Retrieved November 21, 2019 .
  2. Singing Sands at walkhighlands.co.uk, accessed March 24, 2017
  3. Viking grave makes archaeologists cheer . In: Tages-Anzeiger . October 19, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  4. Iain Mac Tailleir: Place-names. (PDF) Scottish Parliament, p. 7 , accessed on November 21, 2019 (English).
  5. a b Ardnamurchan - Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved November 21, 2019 .