Achterneed

Achterneed ( gd, Uachdar Niad), also spelled Auchterneed, is a village in

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, lying on the slopes above Strath Peffer. Achterneed lies within the environs of

Castle Leod Castle Leod is the seat of the Clan Mackenzie. It is a category A listed building, and the grounds are listed in the ''Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Scotland'', the national listing of significant gardens. It is located near S ...

, seat of the

Earl of Cromartie Earl of Cromartie () is a title that has been created twice, both for members of the Mackenzie family. It was first created as Earl of Cromarty in the Peerage of Scotland in 1703 for Sir George Mackenzie, 2nd Baronet, but his titles were forfei ...

, and within two miles of

Strathpeffer Strathpeffer ( gd, Srath Pheofhair) is a village and spa town in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland, with a population of 1,469. Geography It lies in a strath west of Dingwall, with the elevation ranging from above sea level. Sheltered on ...

. While there are few amenities in the village itself, there is a public phone box and post box.

Achterneed railway station Achterneed railway station was a railway station serving Strathpeffer and located on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line, in Wester Ross, Scotland. History Opened in 1870, the station was sited two miles NNE of Strathpeffer between Dingwall and Ga ...

, which lies next to a

level crossing A level crossing is an intersection where a railway line crosses a road, Trail, path, or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level, as opposed to the railway line crossing over or under using an Overpass#Railway, overpass ...

, used to serve the

Dingwall and Skye Railway The Dingwall and Skye Railway was authorised on 5 July 1865 with the aim of providing a route to Skye and the Hebrides. However, due to local objections, another Act of Parliament was required before work could commence. This was passed on 29 May ...

, but was closed in 1965 and all-but demolished. The station house, while remaining, is now a private residence. The Heights of Achterneed (

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

: ''Àirdean Uachdair Niad''), lying to the north, is a small dispersed crofting settlement, which, today, is often considered to be part of Achterneed itself. The surrounding hillside also plays host to the crofting settlements of Bottacks (

: ''Na Botagan''), the Heights of Inchvannie (

: ''Àirdean Innis Mheannaidh'') and the Heights of Keppoch (

: ''Àirdean Cheapaich''). Populated places in Ross and Cromarty {{Highland-geo-stub