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Coldbackie

Coldbackie
Image of road running through Coldbackie
Coldbackie by Tongue
Coldbackie is on the north coast of Scotland.
Coldbackie is on the north coast of Scotland.
Coldbackie
Coldbackie shown within the Sutherland area
OS grid reference NC613599
• Edinburgh 183 mi (295 km)
Civil parish
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LAIRG
Postcode district IV27
Dialling code 01847
EU Parliament Scotland
List of places
UK
Scotland
58°30′22″N 4°21′04″W / 58.506°N 4.351°W / 58.506; -4.351Coordinates: 58°30′22″N 4°21′04″W / 58.506°N 4.351°W / 58.506; -4.351

Coldbackie (Scottish Gaelic: Callbacaidh) is a crofting township in Sutherland and is in the Scottish council area of Highland Scotland.

Coldbackie lies at the mouth of the Kyle of Tongue, 2 miles (3.2 km) north east of Tongue. It sits under Cnoc an Fhreiceadain (the Watch Hill), looking north across Tongue Bay to the Rabbit Islands. It is one of a series of townships, running from Tongue along the A836 to Blandy. The township of Scullomie is 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north.

Cnoc an Fhreiceadain has dramatic Old Red Sandstone conglomerate cliffs, and impressive views along the north coast of Scotland, from Durness to Orkney.

The name Coldbackie could have old Norse or Gaelic roots. The place name Coldbackie is not unique to the Kyle of Tongue, with there being two Coldbacks in Shetland (in Unst and Delting) and one in north west Iceland, both areas where Norse roots would be more likely. Omand, in The Sutherland book, translates Coldbackie as kula-bakki, bank with the bump, whilst Stewart, in Place names of Shetland says that Coldbacks is Cold Hill.


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