Strathpeffer

Coordinates: 57°35′00″N 4°32′45″W / 57.5832°N 4.5457°W / 57.5832; -4.5457

Strathpeffer (Scottish Gaelic: Srath Pheofhair) is a village and spa town in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland, with a population of 1,469.

Geography

It lies in a glen five miles west of Dingwall, with varying elevation from 200 to 400 feet above sea level. Sheltered on the west and north, it has a comparatively dry and warm climate.

History

The strategic location of the village has led to several battles being fought in the area :

Blar Nan Ceann, battle (field) of the heads, lies at the western end of the modern village (grid reference NH47625773). Very little is known about the battle there, not even its date, other than the MacKenzies of Seaforth defeated the MacDonells of Glengarry and some incident took place at a well near the battlefield, subsequently called Tobar a' Chinn (well of the head).

The Battle of Blar Na Pairce, battle (field) of the park, in approximately 1486 saw the local MacKenzies, under their chief Kenneth MacKenzie, defeat a large invading force of MacDonalds. The battlefield lies south-west of the modern village, on the banks of Loch Kinellan. The loch contains a crannog, which remained a hunting seat of the Earls of Ross until the late medieval period and was reportedly visited by Robert The Bruce during his reign. It was from this crannog that Kenneth MacKenzie went out to meet the MacDonalds.