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  • Tongue

Tongue

Tongue is one of the main crofting townships which sweep along the north coast. Lying on the eastern shore of the Kyle of Tongue and north of Ben Loyal and Ben Hope it offers stunning scenic views of coast and mountain.
Kyle of Tongue - Fiona JackKyle of Tongue - Fiona JackTongue - Fiona JackCastle Varrich view point - Fiona JackAngel at Tongue - Fiona JackCastle Varrich - Fiona JackBen Loyal - Maciej WiniarczykLoch Loyal - Maciej Winiarczyk

In Tongue you will find important sites relating to the Clan Mackay as former Mackay stronghold Castle Varrich looks down on the village from its vantage point on a knoll above the Kyle of Tongue. The Castle’s age is unknown but it is thought to have been built on the remains of a Norse fort. When Castle Varrich was abandoned Tongue House became the historic seat of the Clan Mackay.

The story of the Clearances is evident here and the remains of clearance villages can be seen at Scrabster and at Sletell. Discover some hidden treasure at Sletell in the form of a very special geo-cache placed there by artist Liz Myhill during an artist residency at Strathnaver Museum. There is also a memorial to the ‘Bard of the Clearances’ Ewen Robertson to discover close to Scrabster Clearance village.

The north coast is a great place to spot wildlife from puffins to the Scottish Primrose and from red deer to orca. Talmine Bay is a great place to spot dolphins as they regularly visit the bay.

Photos on this page by Fiona Jack, Maciej Winiarczyk.

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