Kinlochbervie
Encyclopedia
Kinlochbervie is a harbour village in the north west of Sutherland
, in the Highland
region of Scotland
. In 2001 the population was 480.
The majority of local industry is based upon the fishing industry
. Although the fleet of ship
s actually based in Kinlochbervie is rather small, many ships from the East coast of Scotland land their catches in Kinlochbervie.
The dominant feature of the town is the large fish
handling depot. From here catches are loaded onto large refrigerated truck
s for transport by road throughout Europe
. The importance of this link to the outside world to the local economy
means that Kinlochbervie has surprisingly good road links, given its remote location and rugged local geography
.
Inhabitants of Kinlochbervie are sometimes collectively referred to as "Greeks" by the residents of surrounding villages, for reasons now largely unknown. The village itself is sometimes referred to as "K.L.B." The most common surname in the area is "Morrison".
The local scenery is a tourist attraction
and is also an important part of the local economy. There are many holiday homes and small bed and breakfast
businesses in the area.
The largest in the village is Kinlochbervie Hotel.
Approximately five miles drive, and four miles walk North of Kinlochbervie itself lies Sandwood Bay
, a scenic beach.
team, which competes in the local amateur league along with Durness
, Tongue, Bettyhill
, Lochinver
and Melvich
. In 2005 they won the league trophy, the prestigious Stafford Cup, for the first time in many years. The team also won The Guy Cup in the same year by winning a tournament of local teams. This was the first time a team west of the Kyle of Tongue had won it.
The sport of shinty
has recently been resurrected in Kinlochbervie by the local school, shinty was once played across North Sutherland until the 20th century but never competitively. Kinlochbervie Camanachd Club
now compete at junior level against teams fromt across the Highlands.
.
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
, in the Highland
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
region of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In 2001 the population was 480.
The majority of local industry is based upon the fishing industry
Fishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
. Although the fleet of ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s actually based in Kinlochbervie is rather small, many ships from the East coast of Scotland land their catches in Kinlochbervie.
The dominant feature of the town is the large fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
handling depot. From here catches are loaded onto large refrigerated truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s for transport by road throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The importance of this link to the outside world to the local economy
Economic system
An economic system is the combination of the various agencies, entities that provide the economic structure that defines the social community. These agencies are joined by lines of trade and exchange along which goods, money etc. are continuously flowing. An example of such a system for a closed...
means that Kinlochbervie has surprisingly good road links, given its remote location and rugged local geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
.
Inhabitants of Kinlochbervie are sometimes collectively referred to as "Greeks" by the residents of surrounding villages, for reasons now largely unknown. The village itself is sometimes referred to as "K.L.B." The most common surname in the area is "Morrison".
The local scenery is a tourist attraction
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and is also an important part of the local economy. There are many holiday homes and small bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
businesses in the area.
The largest in the village is Kinlochbervie Hotel.
Approximately five miles drive, and four miles walk North of Kinlochbervie itself lies Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay is a natural bay in Sutherland, on the far north-west coast of mainland Scotland. It is best known for its mile-long beach and Am Buachaille, a sea stack, and lies about 5 miles south of Cape Wrath...
, a scenic beach.
Sporting achievements
The village also has a rather successful amateur footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team, which competes in the local amateur league along with Durness
Durness
Durness is a huge but remote parish in the northwestern Highlands of Scotland, encompassing all the land between the Moine to the East and the Gualin to the West...
, Tongue, Bettyhill
Bettyhill
Bettyhill is a village on the north coast of Scotland.Bettyhill lies on the A836 road west of Thurso and from Tongue. And 5 miles from the village of Skerray Its former fishing port was called Navermouth...
, Lochinver
Lochinver
Lochinver is a village on the coast in the Assynt district of Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. A few miles northeast is Loch Assynt which is the source of the River Inver which flows into Loch Inver at the village. There are 200 or so lochans in the area which makes the place very popular with...
and Melvich
Melvich
Melvich is a village in the county of Sutherland on the North Coast of Scotland, situated on the A836 road, near the mouth of the River Halladale. It has a successful Gaelic choir.-External links: Ordnance Survey Grid reference for Melvich...
. In 2005 they won the league trophy, the prestigious Stafford Cup, for the first time in many years. The team also won The Guy Cup in the same year by winning a tournament of local teams. This was the first time a team west of the Kyle of Tongue had won it.
The sport of shinty
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
has recently been resurrected in Kinlochbervie by the local school, shinty was once played across North Sutherland until the 20th century but never competitively. Kinlochbervie Camanachd Club
Kinlochbervie Camanachd Club
Kinlochbervie Camanachd Club is a shinty club from Kinlochbervie, Sutherland, Scotland.-History:Shinty was traditionally played throughout the Highlands of Scotland until the early 20th century when it died off in many areas and there was a tradition of play in North West Sutherland.In 2007, as...
now compete at junior level against teams fromt across the Highlands.
Cultural references
The village features prominently in Irish writer Brian Friel's play Faith HealerFaith Healer
Faith Healer is a play by Brian Friel about the life of faith healer Francis Hardy as monologued through the shifting memories of Hardy, his wife, Grace, and stage manager, Teddy.-Synopsis:...
.