Lairg on Loch Shin, Sutherland County

Lairg is a picturesque village of approximately 700Northern Scotland to increased development. Thanks
population in the county of Sutherland, Highland Councilto the station, Lairg is able to serve as the auction
Area, Scotland. Lairg is built on the south-facing slopecenter for North Highland sheep, and holds some of
of a gentle hillside at the southeast end of Loch Shin, athe largest sheep auctions in the entire United Kingdom.
27-kilometer (17 miles) long loch in the NorthwestIn the 1990s two old, established businesses the looked
Highlands. In the 1950s the loch's water level wasout over the loch at the foot of the Main Street,
raised some 10 meters (32.5 feet) due to theSutherland Transport & Trading Company and the
construction of the construction of Lairg Dam. TheSutherland Arms Hotel, were closed, the buildings
purpose of the dam is to provide hydro electric power.demolished. The empty lots in such prime locations are
The rise in the water level created Little Loch Shin ona bit of a sore spot with the locals, but no developer
the border of the village. Little Loch Shin is now ahas yet come forward to exploit the properties.
popular boating and fishing area.For those interested in exploring the area around Loch
Small as it is by most measures, Lairg is one of theShin, Lairg is the logical home-base. The mountains
largest inland settlements in the north of Scotland. Insurrounding the loch are substantial, rising almost a
the 19th century it was provided with a railway station1,000 meters above sea level. On the eastern shore is
on the Far North Line, which rubs from Inverness to962 metre Ben Klibreck and on the west is 998 meter
Wick and Thurso in the north. It was believed a LairgBen More Assynt. Loch Shin drains into the North Sea.
railway station would assist in opening up the interior of