Much of this info is gleaned from the Clan Cameron website pages on placenames where there’s masses more fascinating info about local place names and where almost every burn, bay and hillock in our area is identified.
Have we got any of the translations or the spellings wrong? Do you know any stories about our local place names? Have we missed some important ones? Please email the website editor if you have any comments or further info.
Camaghael | Cam Dhail | Crooked Field |
Achdalieu | Thy Liubha’s Field. (in memory of a saint) | |
Achanellan | ??? Achadh an Eilean or ??? Achadh An Fheallain acc to Clan Cameron website. | The OS map here shows a sizeable pocket of land completely surrounded by water, where the River Loy diverges and converges again. Island Field seems a much more plausible explanation than Clan Cameron website’s suggested Field of the Fellon. Thank you to David Mee for this info. |
Annat | Annaid | The site of an early church or chapel |
Badabrie | Bad Abrach | Marshy thicket |
Banavie | Banbhaidh | various possible meanings – Fair Pass, Pig Stream, High Place, Fallow Land, Young Suckling Pig, Land Unplowed for a Year, Place of the Pigs??? |
Barr | Summit or height | |
Camusnaha | Camus Na H-Atha | Bay of the Kiln |
Corpach | A’ Chorpaich | Place of the corpses (where the ‘noble dead’ were brought overland to await a boat to take them to Iona for burial. |
Corribeg | Coire Beag | The Little Corrie |
Drumsallie | Druim Na Saileach | Willow Ridge |
Erracht | Errachd | Place of Assembly |
Fassfern | An Fasadh Fearna | Place of the Alders |
Inverskilavulin | Confluence of the Mill Burn | |
Kilmallie | Cill Mhàlaidh | Church of Saint Mhalaidh |
Kinlocheil | Ceann Loch Ial | Head of Loch Eil |
Moy | Moigh | Plain |
Muirshearlich | Magh Siorlaich | Plain of Broom-rape |
Puiteachan | The Swelling Knoll or Young Moorfowl Place??? | |
Strone | An T-Sron | Nose-shaped promontory |
Tomonie | Tom Moine | Hillock of the Peat Moss |
Torcastle | Torr A’ Chaisteil | Castle of the Bluff Rock |
Loch Eil | Loch Ial | Loch of the Glint of Sunlight |
Allt Coire Mhuillin | The Mill Burn | |
Allt Dogha | Burdock Burn (also known as Annat Burn) | |
Allt Sheangain | Ant Stream | |
Eas Nam Fitheach | Waterfall of the Ravens (NE of Fassfern) | |
Eas Nan Long | Waterfall of the Ships | |
River Lochy | Abhainn Lochaidh | River of the Dark Goddess |
Bridge of Shame | Drochaid Sgainnir | supposedly named after the murder of a cattle drover by the Macleans from Gleann Dubh Lighe |
Eilean A’ Bhealaidh | Broom Island | |
Eilean Na Creich | Booty/Plunder Island | |
Eilean Nan Craobh | Island of the Trees |
Am Mam | The Low Hill | |
Beinn An T-Sneachda | Mountain of the Snow | |
Coille Mhor | Large Wood | |
Coire Fada | The Long Corrie | |
Coire Odhar | Dun Corrie | |
Druim Fada | The Long Ridge | |
Gulvain | Gaor Bheinn | Shoulder Mountain, Mountain of the Lurcher, Windy Mountain??? |
Gleann Dubh Lighe | Glen of the Black Flood | |
Gleann Laragain | Glen of the Little Pass | |
Glen Loy | Gleann Laoigh | Calf’s Glen |
Blar Mor | Blàr Mòr | The Big Peat Moss also commonly called Cprpach Moss. There is confusion over the correct spelling. It is sometimes referred to (including in Highland Council signage) as Blar Mhor, but this is incorrect. |
Gleann Suileag | Sallow Glen, Glen of the Deep Pool, Glen of the notched/serrated eye??? | |
Gleann Fionn Lighe | River of a White Rocky Place? | |
Sron Liath | Grey Point | |
Stob A’ Ghrianan | Mountain of the Sunny Hillock |
The Cat Rapids, The Cat Pool, and the Field of the Cat | Buinn’ A’ Chait and Dail A’ Chait | According to www.clan-cameron.org, “legend has it that on the advice of Gormshuil, the Witch of Moy, Ewen MacAllan Cameron, XIII Chief of Clan Cameron, slowly roasted a stray Lochaber cat in a hut in this field to learn his penance for past “indiscretions.” Soon the “King of Cats,” Cam Dubh, arrived and agreed to tell Ewen his penance if he released the smoldering cat. When the cat was freed, it was said to have sprinted to the cliffs near Torcastle and leapt into the River Lochy.” |
Banquo’s Walk | Sraid Bhanco | referring to the Thane of Lochaber |
Carn Phail | Paul’s Grave |
(c) Kilmallie Community Council – Web site by magicscotland.co.uk