Badenoch

Badenoch ( Scottish Gaelic Bàideanach, sunken German country) is a historic district in today's Scottish Highland County.

Geography

Badenoch covers about 1400 km ² and is from north to south about 24 km and from east to west about 58 km across. In the north, Badenoch is bounded by the Monadhliath Mountains, east of the Cairngorm Mountains and Braemar, on the south by Atholl and the Grampian Mountains to the west by Lochaber. The historic capital bathing Nochs is Kingussie. With the exception of the river bed of the River Spey and the Great Glen Badenoch consists almost entirely of original mountain landscape, many of which reach a height of 1000 m. In Drumochter, Gaick and Feshie Badenoch has some of the best grazing areas throughout the Highlands. The largest lakes are Loch Laggan, Loch Insh and Loch Ericht. The River Spey and its numerous tributaries provide Badenoch continuously with water.

History

In 1229 Badenoch was the first time into a single territory by the newly created title of Lord of Badenoch. The title was initially held by Clan Comyn to about 1313. From 1314 Badenoch fell to the Earl of Moray. From the 15th century Badenoch belonged to Earldom of Huntly, who also bore the subordinate title of Lord of Badenoch.

In the 19th century the traditional district of Badenoch was then incorporated into the County Inverness -shire. From 1975 to 1996 Badenoch formed together with the adjacent region Strathspey with the joint management district Badenoch and Strathspey. After an administrative reform in the late 1990s Badenoch now part of the Highland Unitary Authority.

Economy

Badenoch has very little industry. The majority of the population lives in Kingussie and some villages along the Spey. The Highland Railway ran through Badenoch of Dalnaspidal for Boat of Garden.

The River Spey

The Loch Insh

The Dunachtonstone, a stone at Loch Insh from the time of the Picts