Lairg

A place of beauty

Lairg is prospectively the site of the fifteenth largest impact crater on Earth, the Lairg Gravity Low which dates from 1.2 billion years ago and is 25 miles (40 km) across. The area has continued to have a large impact on its surroundings.

Little Loch Shin is a man-made loch in the middle of the village of Lairg (Scottish Gaelic: An Luirg, meaning "the shank/shin") created by the hydroelectric dam scheme, and is the home of the "Broon's hoose", a small, wooden dwelling on an islet. Short walks following the waymarked paths from the Ferrycroft Visitor Centre on the outskirts of Lairg, allow visitors to take in the beautiful scenery surrounding Loch Shin which is 17 miles long.

The roads leading out from Lairg to the north of Scotland travel through glens, past many crofting settlements and offer rugged and romantic landscapes surrounded by an array of native wildlife while 4 miles south of the town is the Falls of Shin, one of the best places in Scotland to see salmon leaping on their upstream migration. Explore the Falls of Shin, a wonderful starting point for a range of trails through woodlands and rocky banks, and a popular playground for families.

Every August, Lairg hosts an annual lamb sale when sheep from all over the north of Scotland are bought and sold in the largest single-day sheep sale in Europe. The Crofter’s show, a one-day event, has been running for 100 years with activities such as horse-jumping, children’s sports, tossing the caber and cattle shows. Sheep racing has even been on the list!

From local craft shops and eateries, to lochs, walks and agricultural shows, Lairg’s peaceful surroundings are a delight for every traveller.