Spinningdale

Spinningdale (Scottish Gaelic: Spainnigeadal) is a hamlet, in the Parish of Creich, on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth in eastern Sutherland, in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies 5 miles (8 kilometres) northeast of Bonar Bridge and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.

Spinningdale Scottish Gaelic: Spainnigeadal
The old mill, Spinningdale
Spinningdale Location within the Sutherland area
Population	81 (2011)
OS grid reference	NH664901
Council area	Highland
Lieutenancy area	Sutherland
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Ardgay
Postcode district	IV24
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
List of places UK Scotland 57.88111°N 4.25352°W / 57.88111; -4.25352

"Dale" is possibly from the Old Norse Dalr, meaning 'valley' but more probably from 'Dail' a Gaelic word for meadow or field and commonly found in placenames all over Scotland. It was referred to as "Spanigidill" in 1464, the pronunciation of which bears a close resemblance to modern Gaelic.^[1][2]

The A949 road, the old A9 before the 1991 opening of the Dornoch Firth Bridge, passes through Spinningdale.

On 1 February 2008 a fishing trawler named Spinningdale was wrecked on rocks near St Kilda.^[3]

Notable residents

• James Robertson Justice, actor, lived in a cottage in Spinningdale from 1954 to 1970.^[4]