Population 230 Lieutenancy area Ross and Cromarty Sovereign state United Kingdom Local time Thursday 11:57 PM Dialling code 01445 | OS grid reference NG8580 Country Scotland Post town ACHNASHEEN Council area Highland Civil parish Gairloch | |
 | ||
Weather 4°C, Wind S at 14 km/h, 83% Humidity | ||
Poolewe (Scottish Gaelic Poll Iù) is a small village in Wester Ross in the North West Highlands of Scotland, about 75 miles (120 km) north-west from Inverness, by Loch Ewe. The River Ewe, one of the shortest in Scotland, joins the sea less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from Inverewe Garden, renowned for its subtropical plants. The village is surrounded by mountains and the sea.
Contents
Map of Poolewe, Achnasheen, UK
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". But 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 claims also said that he had taken, "Ewe" (Gaelic iu), with hesitation, from Irish 'eo', "Yew Tree’, but conceding that it may be a Pictish name.
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 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 the great-great-great-grandfather of celebrity chef Paul Hollywood, Donald Mackenzie, 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 (97 km), for over a decade, aged after forty. Mackenzie had lived into his 80s.