Place Name

Tongue, Sutherland, Scotland

Where Tongue sticks out and the stories stick Longer!

Introduction:

Tongue is one o those names that makes visitors blink twice, smile once and then ask a local, “Is that really what it’s called?” Aye, it is.

Up here in the far north, names come frae the land itself, and this one has been turnin heids for centuries. It sounds playful, almost cheeky, like the village is stickin its tongue oot at the rest o Scotland.

Folk imagine all sorts o daft origins, but the truth is older, deeper and tied tae the shape o the land. Still, that disnae stop travellers makin jokes, and the locals have heard every single yin. It's a name that certainly piques interest and raises eyebrows.

Toponymy:

Let’s tease this name apart.

Tongue – From the Old Norse “tunga”, meanin a tongue‑shaped piece o land.

The Vikings named it for the long ridge that juts oot into the Kyle, lookin for all the world like the land is leanin forward tae taste the sea. It has nothing tae dae wi mouths, speech or cheeky behaviour, though ye’d never guess that frae the reactions it gets.

A name that’s simple, an ancient an far mair geographical than folk expect.

Historical Context:

Long before roads, maps or tourists wi cameras, Tongue was a Norse settlement, shaped by the sea routes that stitched the north together. The Vikings left their mark in the name, the landscape and the stories that still linger in the glens and along the shore.

By the medieval period, the area was held by Clan Mackay, whose lands stretched across the far north like a great wild cloak. Their history is woven wi battles, alliances and the kind o tales that only come frae folk who lived close tae the edge o the world.

In the eighteenth century, Tongue played a role in the Jacobite rising, when the gold meant for Bonnie Prince Charlie was intercepted nearby. The village watched history unfold across its hills and waters, quiet but ever present.

As the centuries rolled on, Tongue remained a place o crofts, fishing, peat‑cutting and stories passed frae one generation tae the next. Today it stands as one o the jewels o the North Coast 500, drawin folk who want tae feel the wildness o the Highlands without losin the warmth o a village welcome.

Points of Interest:

If ye’re wanderin around Tongue, ye’re in for a treat:

• Castle Varrich   A ruined tower perched high abune the village, wi views that stretch for miles across the Kyle.

• Kyle of Tongue Causeway   A road across the water that feels like drivin through a painting.

• Ben Loyal   The Queen o Scottish Mountains, wi peaks that rise like the spires o a cathedral.

• Coldbackie Beach   A sweep o white sand and turquoise water that looks like it belongs in another hemisphere.

• Strathnaver Museum   A powerful look at the Highland Clearances and the lives shaped by them.

Notable Figures:

The far north has produced folk whose stories brush past Tongue:

• Rob Donn Mackay   The great Gaelic poet o Strathmore, whose words still echo across Sutherland.

• Clan Mackay Chiefs   Warriors, leaders and legends o the far north.

• Dr John Rae   Orcadian explorer o the Arctic, celebrated across the Highlands.

• Hugh Miller   Geologist and writer who roamed the northern landscapes wi keen eyes.

• The Norse settlers   Unnamed but unforgettable, leavin their mark in every corner o the region.

Conclusion:

So next time ye stand in Tongue, look across the Kyle and feel the wind that’s travelled half the world tae reach ye. This is a place where names come frae the land, where history lies quiet but close, and where the north shows its true self.

And if ye’re hungry for mair names that raise eyebrows and warm the heart, wander yersel over tae www.strangeplacenames.com where the UK and Ireland are packed wi places that make ye smile and say, “Aye, that’s a guid yin.”

FACEBOOK - strangeplacenames

INSTAGRAM - strangeplacenames_2024