Lairg - The Crossroads of Sutherland

Lairg...

Free Church of Scotland

Spring Lambs

...the crossroads of the north

Nestled on the southern shores of Loch Shin is the peaceful village of Lairg. Known as the crossroads of the north, all major routes to the outlying towns and villages of Sutherland pass through this remote Highland Village.

Surrounded by lush green hills, snow capped mountains and unspoiled scenery, Lairg is the ideal place to base your next Highland escape.

Visitors to the area will find a range of local amenities on offer, from shopping in the ‘famous Falls of Shin visitor centre to fishing experiences on one of the many Lochs and Rivers in the area. For those who simply want to relax and enjoy the landscape, the village has many Forest Walks, quiet country tracks and plenty of open space to find a spot to call your own.

Often referred to as the last great Wilderness of Europe, the roads escaping from Lairg to the North & West coasts of Sutherland offer the most outstanding natural scenery to be found anywhere in Scotland. Travelling through glens, past many crofting settlements, you will soon find yourself submerged in a rugged and romantic landscape, isolated and surrounded by an array of native wildlife.

The area is steeped in local history, from remains of Stone Age settlements to reminders of the unrelenting Highland Clearances, Lairg will take visitors on a journey of discovery and adventure.

Please take the time to explore visitlairg.com and find out why you should make Lairg the base for your next Highland Holiday.

A Piece of Lairg History...

In the early 1900’s Lairg was a place of great social and economic importance to the county of Sutherland. With roads from all points of the compass meeting in the village its prominent position assisted the growth of Lairg as a key provider in the movement of people, goods, mail and produce over a wide geographical area.

Although Lairg has developed considerably in recent years the original village was concentrated around the section that is known as Main Street today. Here, several tradesmen established business to satisfy the needs of the surrounding district. The crafts practised included those of the saddler, the coachbuilder, the wheelwright, the blacksmith, the shoemaker and the weaver.

In 1919, Sir Edgar Horne a wealthy financier purchased Lairg Lodge and Estate from the 3rd Duke of Sutherland. He proved to be a progressive landowner, installing electricity in both Lairg Lodge and the village (making Lairg one of the first villages in the Highlands to have electricity!), as well as making a number of progressive agricultural and industrial improvements, which during his stewardship ensured full employment and continuing prosperity for the community.

In the 1950s, the Scottish Hydro Electric Company built Lairg Dam, which crosses Loch Shin and serves as a prominent feature in the centre of the village. The Dam raised the level of Loch Shin over 30 feet and created the small loch which borders the village and is better known as Little Loch Shin.

Lairg remains an important village within the county of Sutherland. It boasts beautiful scenery, forest walks, hill walking, fishing, bird watching, a variety of shops and accommodations. It continues to serve as an ideal location to explore the surrounding communities and the ‘last Great Wilderness of Europe’. The Falls of Shin, famous for its leaping salmon is situated only 4 miles from the village, all within a one hour drive from Inverness. Lairg is an ideal base to explore the remote northern counties, with return excursions to the east, west and north coasts all within a day’s access.

Ferrycroft Visitor Centre, situated in Ord Place is an excellent resource in the community to find out more about the History and local Ecology within the Parish of Lairg.

Welcome to visitlairg.com

where are we?

Ferrycroft Visitor Centre

Lairg

www.visitlairg.com is owned and operated by Lairg & District Community Initiative, a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status in Scotland. For more information on the group please click the LDCI link on the right hand side of the page.

Charity SCO 33349 Company SC230960

View from Lochside

Whats on in Lairg...

Lairg has many events and social activites taking place throughout the year. Whether you are looking to take part in local indoor bowling competitions, music festivals or join in the fun at the Gala Week or Crofters Show, you can keep up to date here with the latest information.

Lairg Calendar 2012 - Copies of the calendar are available to buy in Lairg Post Office, Oasis Store or the LDCI office based in Lairg Community Centre.

Look out for more events coming soon ...

LDCI