Dornoch Firth

The Dornoch Firth (Scottish Gaelic: Caolas Dhòrnaich, pronounced [kɯːl̪ˠəs̪ ɣɔːrˠn̪ˠɪç]) is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north.

Together with Loch Fleet it is a designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for wildlife conservation purposes. Additionally, together with Morrich More, it has the designation of Special Area of Conservation.

The total SPA hosts significant populations of the following birds:

Dornoch Bridge

In 1991, the firth was bridged, the new Dornoch Firth Bridge providing a shorter route on the A9 road between Inverness and Thurso; until then traffic had to go by way of Bonar Bridge at the head of the inlet.

Politics of the Highland council area

The politics of the Highland council area in Scotland are evident in the deliberations and decisions of the Highland Council, in elections to the council, and in elections to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster) and the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). In the European Parliament the area is within the Scotland constituency, which covers all of the 32 council areas of Scotland.

Highland Council

The Highland Council (Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd in Gaelic) represents 22 wards, each electing three or four councillors by the single transferable vote system, which creates a form of proportional representation. The total number of councillors is 80, and the main meeting place and main offices are in Glenurquhart Road, Inverness.

Current administration

The most recent election of the council was on 3 May 2012, and resulted in a coalition administration formed by all three political parties on the council, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and the Labour party. The Coalition had 45 councillors and the other 35 councillors were Independents.

Dornoch

Coordinates: 57°53′N 4°02′W / 57.88°N 4.03°W / 57.88; -4.03

Dornoch (/ˈdɔːrnɒx/;  Scottish Gaelic: Dòrnach pronounced [ˈt̪ɔːrˠn̪ˠəx];  Scots: Dornach) is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east. The town is within the Highland local government council area, and within the county of Sutherland.

The town is near the A9 road, to which it is linked by the A949 and the B9168.

The town also has a grass air strip suitable for small aircraft and helicopters.

The name 'Dornoch' is derived from the Gaelic for 'pebbly place', suggesting that the area contained pebbles the size of a fist (dorn) which could therefore be used as weapons. Dornoch has the thirteenth-century Dornoch Cathedral, the Old Town Jail, and the previous Bishop's Palace which is now the well-known hotel, Dornoch Castle and a notable golf course, the Royal Dornoch Golf Club, named the 5th best golf course outside the United States in 2005 by Golf Digest magazine. It is also notable as the last place a witch was burnt in Scotland. Her name was Janet Horne; she was tried and condemned to death in 1727. There is a stone, the Witch's Stone, commemorating her death, inscribed with the year 1722. Legendary golf course designer Donald Ross began his career as a greenkeeper on the Royal Dornoch links. The golf course is next to the award winning blue flag beach.

Dornoch (Parliament of Scotland constituency)

Dornoch in Sutherland was a royal burgh that returned one commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland and to the Convention of Estates.

After the Acts of Union 1707, Dornoch, Dingwall, Kirkwall, Tain and Wick formed the Tain district of burghs, returning one member between them to the House of Commons of Great Britain.

See also