'The Kyle of Tongue is crossed by a ferry boat . . . to the ferry at Hope . . . passed Arnibol . . . to Heilim . . . round Loch Eriboll . . . the road to Rispond is all the way close by the shore and passes by a number of small crofts, the situation and tillage of which are alike of an objectionable character. Two miles from Rispond we reach the cave of Smoo . . . to the hotel of Durine a mile further west and the old church and house of Balnacille and the ruins of an old castle on the shore . . .' (Tourists' Guide, 1883, Hew Morrison).
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Durness is now one of the few remaining places of any size in mainland Scotland that you can only access by single track road. The road south was completed in 1893, and from the following year there was a daily coach connecting Durness with the railway station at Lairg, some sixty miles to the south east. Approaching Durness from the south on the A823 from Rhiconch the road skirts along the Kyle of Durness before reaching the Durness village. Having driven this road I must assure you it is a good road through the most amazing scenery.
Durness Parish contains three known burial grounds - Arnaboll, Alt na Caillich and Balnakeil. All have been photographed and transcribed. Details on how to view can be seen in Burial Ground Section
Left to right, Arnaboll, Balnakeil and Alt na Caillich burial grounds
See also:
Durness Photographs - donated by members of our mailing listStrathbeg People - some details of those who lived in Strathbeg, mainly shepherd
Free Church Register - transcribed - 1843/1845
Families of Durness - currently being researched by members of our mailing lists and visitors to this website
Durness War Memorial - full list of those named on the memorials of all Sutherland with many photographs
Snippets of information about Durness
Schools - early education in Sutherland - scroll to bottom of page for links to Durness items
Recommended Reading:
DURNESS PAST & PRESENT - People and Places, Work and Play, Past & Present, Life and Living - a random collection of information and stories about the most north-westerly village on the British Mainland. A great book, should be read by all with interest in Durness. Unfortunately no ISBN. Produced in Association with Caithness & Sutherland Enterprise. I purchased my copy in Durness.
Book of MacKay by Rev. Angus MacKay 1906
The Duke of Sutherland's Memoirs, contains a full list of all those who made a contribution to the Duke's statue in 1834
Ministers & Men of the North - can be read on the internet
Website of Interest:
Durness Community Website- don't miss their page on the Pre Clearance townships which has a map showing the location of all the townships around 1726 with informative links
page last updated 20th July 2010
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