Sunday 26 November 2017

An 'On-Shore Island'


When settlers came from the Northern Isles, they understandably named a vast stretch of the Mainland, 'Sutherland'. A division occurred when a Pictish tribe - the Cat or Catt People - dominated a large area of land with its headland close to John O'Groats. The land boundary followed natural watersheds and the sea encompassed the rest. Caithness was officially recognised in local administration in the late 19th Century. There is certainly something of an 'on-shore island' about the county and recently there has been a campaign to award 'island status' for at least its health service provision. Read about this on the BBC website and take a wider view of the local features in the website where Old Keiss Castle (above) appears - Loch Watten House.

Scottish Islands Explorer - mainly about off-shore islands
Digital Edition: crosses both boundaries and borders

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