Poolewe

Poolewe Scottish Gaelic: Poll Iù
View over Poolewe from Cliff Hill
Poolewe Location within the Ross and Cromarty area
Population	230
OS grid reference	NG8580
Civil parish	Gairloch
Council area	Highland
Lieutenancy area	Ross and Cromarty
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ACHNASHEEN
Postcode district	IV22
Dialling code	01445
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Ross, Skye and Lochaber
Scottish Parliament	Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
List of places UK Scotland 57°45′54″N 5°36′14″W / 57.765°N 5.604°W / 57.765; -5.604Coordinates: 57°45′54″N 5°36′14″W / 57.765°N 5.604°W / 57.765; -5.604

Poolewe (Scottish Gaelic: Poll Iù) is a small village in Wester Ross in the North West Highlands of Scotland, about 75 miles (120 kilometres) northwest of Inverness, by Loch Ewe. The River Ewe, one of the shortest in Scotland, joins the sea less than one mile (1.5 kilometres) from Inverewe Garden, renowned for its subtropical plants. The village is surrounded by mountains and the sea.

The village has an indoor heated swimming pool, a coffee shop, a hotel and a shop. Most of the arts events in the area take place in the village hall, as do the village markets.

Origin of the name[]

Literally the name means "the pool on the Ewe river". However, William J. Watson, in his 1904 Place Names of Ross and Cromarty, states that the village was called by the natives in his time "Abhainn Iù, Ewe River". Watson also says that he had taken "Ewe" (Gaelic iu), with hesitation, to be from Irish eo, "yew tree", though concedes that it may be a Pictish name.^[1]

Climate[]

Poolewe has a relatively warm climate for its latitude, thanks to the Gulf Stream, which creates an almost sub-tropical climate. While the winter in Poolewe is generally cold and wet, the maritime location means that it receives only a few days of snow a year. The Northern Lights are visible on occasion, depending on the weather and time of year; most often in winter.

The Met Office operates a weather station at Poolewe^[2] for which 30-year averages are available. As with the rest of the British Isles and Scotland, Poolewe experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Its low-lying situation on the west coast tends to afford it some shelter from the harshness that can afflict the adjacent Highlands during the winter months.

Notable residents[]

In August 2015, the BBC genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? revealed that Donald Mackenzie, great-great-great-grandfather of celebrity chef Paul Hollywood, had been a crofter in Poolewe. For a period of over a decade he had also been the post-runner between Poolewe and Dingwall, a distance of 60 miles (100 kilometres), whilst aged over forty. Mackenzie lived into his eighties.^[4]

References[]

External links[]

• Poolewe Tuesday Market

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