Morar
Encyclopedia
Morar is a small village on the west coast of Scotland
, 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Mallaig
. The name Morar is also applied to the wider district around the village.
Morar is a station stop
on the West Highland Line
and is served by the A830
Road to the Isles, between Fort William and Mallaig
. It is famous for Morar Beach, known as the "White Sands of Morar", which featured prominently in the film Local Hero
, as well as in Breaking the Waves
. Loch Morar
, the deepest loch in the British Isles
, is located nearby.
Morar was also a favourite winter travel destination of the noted English composer, Sir Arnold Bax
(1883–1953), during the 1930s. He worked on his Third Symphony
, and each subsequent symphony during his visits to the Station Hotel.
was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1602, between the Clan MacDonald of Glengarry and the Clan Mackenzie
.
Many houses in the area were used as training schools by the Special Operations Executive
during World War II. The Land, Sea and Islands Centre in Arisaig has a display on the connection between SOE and the area and has published a book on the subject.
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...
, 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Mallaig
Mallaig
Mallaig ; is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland railway line , completed in 1901, and the town is linked to Fort William by the A830 road – the "Road to the Isles".The village of Mallaig...
. The name Morar is also applied to the wider district around the village.
Morar is a station stop
Morar railway station
Morar railway station is a railway station serving the village of Morar in the Highland region of Scotland. This station is on the West Highland Line.- History :...
on the West Highland Line
West Highland Line
The West Highland Line is considered the most scenic railway line in Britain, linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban on the west coast of Scotland to Glasgow. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the iconic...
and is served by the A830
A830 road
The A830, sometimes known as the Road to the Isles , is a road in Lochaber, in the Highlands of Scotland, which connects the town of Fort William to the port of Mallaig....
Road to the Isles, between Fort William and Mallaig
Mallaig
Mallaig ; is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland railway line , completed in 1901, and the town is linked to Fort William by the A830 road – the "Road to the Isles".The village of Mallaig...
. It is famous for Morar Beach, known as the "White Sands of Morar", which featured prominently in the film Local Hero
Local Hero
Local Hero is a 1983 Scottish comedy-drama film starring Peter Riegert and Burt Lancaster. It was directed by Bill Forsyth and produced by David Puttnam....
, as well as in Breaking the Waves
Breaking the Waves
Breaking the Waves is a 1996 film directed by Lars von Trier and starring Emily Watson. Set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 1970s, it tells the story of an unusual young woman, Bess McNeill, and of the love she has for Jan, her husband. The film is an international co-production led by Lars...
. Loch Morar
Loch Morar
Loch Morar is a freshwater loch in Morar, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. It is the fifth-largest loch in Scotland, with a surface area of and the deepest freshwater body in the British Isles, with a maximum depth of ....
, the deepest loch in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
, is located nearby.
Morar was also a favourite winter travel destination of the noted English composer, Sir Arnold Bax
Arnold Bax
Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, KCVO was an English composer and poet. His musical style blended elements of romanticism and impressionism, often with influences from Irish literature and landscape. His orchestral scores are noted for their complexity and colourful instrumentation...
(1883–1953), during the 1930s. He worked on his Third Symphony
Symphony No. 3 (Bax)
The Symphony No. 3 by Arnold Bax was completed in 1929. It was dedicated to Sir Henry Wood and is perhaps the most performed and most immediately approachable of Arnold Bax's symphonies....
, and each subsequent symphony during his visits to the Station Hotel.
History
The Battle of MorarBattle of Morar
The Battle of Morar was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1602, in Morar, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan MacDonald of Glengarry against the Clan Mackenzie who were supported by the Clan Ross....
was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1602, between the Clan MacDonald of Glengarry and the Clan Mackenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan Mackenzie is a Highland Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire.-Origins:The Mackenzies, a powerful clan of Celtic stock, were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestry. Descendants of the long defunct royal Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, they...
.
Many houses in the area were used as training schools by the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
during World War II. The Land, Sea and Islands Centre in Arisaig has a display on the connection between SOE and the area and has published a book on the subject.