Shieldaig
title: "Shieldaig" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-ross-and-cromarty", "torridon"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-ross-and-cromarty" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shieldaig" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox UK place"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| static_image_name | Shieldaig north.jpg |
| static_image_caption | Shieldaig looking north along the sea-front |
| country | Scotland |
| official_name | Shieldaig |
| gaelic_name | Sìldeag |
| scots_name | Shieldaig |
| os_grid_reference | NG815539 |
| map_type | Ross and Cromarty |
| coordinates | |
| civil_parish | Applecross |
| unitary_scotland | Highland |
| lieutenancy_scotland | Ross and Cromarty |
| constituency_westminster | Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire |
| constituency_scottish_parliament | Caithness, Sutherland and Ross |
| post_town | Strathcarron |
| postcode_district | IV54 |
| postcode_area | IV |
| dial_code | 01520 |
| :: |
| static_image_name = Shieldaig north.jpg | static_image_caption = Shieldaig looking north along the sea-front | country = Scotland | official_name = Shieldaig | gaelic_name = Sìldeag | scots_name = Shieldaig | os_grid_reference = NG815539 | map_type = Ross and Cromarty | coordinates = | civil_parish = Applecross | unitary_scotland = Highland | lieutenancy_scotland = Ross and Cromarty | constituency_westminster = Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire | constituency_scottish_parliament = Caithness, Sutherland and Ross | post_town = Strathcarron | postcode_district = IV54 | postcode_area = IV | dial_code = 01520
Shieldaig (; ) is a village in Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands, in the Scottish council area of Highland.
Geography and history
The village was founded in 1800 with a view to training up seamen for war against Napoleon. After his (initial) defeat and exile to Elba, the community found itself a new role as a fishing village. The small island just offshore never had its tall pines harvested to rig warships, and has now become a nature sanctuary.
The name of the village is derived from the Old Norse síld-vík, meaning 'herring bay'.
Shieldaig is a community of around 85 people, with its own school, a small pub, a village hall, a church and two restaurants. It is much used as a holiday destination, attracting those interested in fishing, touring the North Coast 500 or explorers of the Torridon Hills, which are a few miles around the coast.
Shieldaig holds a community fête in the second weekend of August.
Education
It is in the catchment area of Gairloch High School.
Another Shieldaig
12 mi to the north lies another Shieldaig, a small settlement on the south shore of Loch Gairloch.
References
References
- W. J. Watson, [https://archive.org/details/placenamesofross00watsuoft ''Place-names of Ross and Cromarty''], 1904, p. 208.
- "Shieldaig, Highland". School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society.
- [http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/shieldaig/shieldaig/index.html Shieldaig] Undiscovered Scotland
- "Torridon & Shieldaig". Steve Carter.
- "Schools - Gairloch High School". [[The Highland Council]].
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