Coldbackie

Coldbackie (Scottish Gaelic: Callbacaidh) is a crofting township in Sutherland and is in the Scottish council area of Highland Scotland.^[1]

Coldbackie Scottish Gaelic: Callbacaidh
Coldbackie by Tongue
Coldbackie Location within the Sutherland area
OS grid reference	NC613599
• Edinburgh	183 mi (295 km)
Civil parish	Tongue
Council area	Highland
Lieutenancy area	Sutherland
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LAIRG
Postcode district	IV27
Dialling code	01847
List of places UK Scotland 58.506°N 4.382°W / 58.506; -4.382

Geography

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.

Etymology

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.