Lochcarron
{{Short description|Village and civil parish in Highland Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = Scotland
| official_name = Lochcarron
| gaelic_name = Loch Carrann
| static_image_name = Lochcarron - panoramio.jpg
| population = 893
| population_ref = (2011){{cite web|url=http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ods-web/standard-outputs.html|title=Scotland's Census 2011: Civil Parish of Lochcarron|publisher=National Records of Scotland|access-date=2018-04-12}}
| os_grid_reference = NG857387
| coordinates = {{coord|57.4000|-5.5000|display=inline,title}}
| map_type = Ross and Cromarty
| community_scotland = Lochcarron
| unitary_scotland = Highland
| lieutenancy_scotland = Ross and Cromarty
| constituency_westminster = Ross, Skye and Lochaber
| constituency_scottish_parliament = Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
| post_town = Strathcarron
| postcode_district = IV54
| postcode_area = IV
| dial_code = 01520
}}
Lochcarron ({{langx|gd|Loch Carrann}}) is a village, community and civil parish in the Wester Ross area of Highland, Scotland. It has a population of 923.[http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/analyser/analyser?topicId=1&tableId=&tableName=Usual+resident+population&selectedTopicId=&aggregated=false&subject=&tableNumber=&selectedLevelId=&postcode=&areaText=&RADIOLAYER=&actionName=view-results&clearAreas=&stateData1=&stateData2=&stateData3=&stateData4=&debug=&tempData1=&tempData2=&tempData3=&tempData4=&areaId=561&levelId=4 General Register Office for Scotland : Census 2001 : Usual Resident Population : Lochcarron Civil Parish] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307180807/http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/analyser/analyser?topicId=1&tableId=&tableName=Usual+resident+population&selectedTopicId=&aggregated=false&subject=&tableNumber=&selectedLevelId=&postcode=&areaText=&RADIOLAYER=&actionName=view-results&clearAreas=&stateData1=&stateData2=&stateData3=&stateData4=&debug=&tempData1=&tempData2=&tempData3=&tempData4=&areaId=561&levelId=4 |date=2012-03-07 }} Retrieved 2009-11-18
Locality
The name Lochcarron is also applied to the collection of small settlements strung out along Loch Carron, a sea loch on the west coast of Ross and Cromarty. The village stretches for almost {{convert|2|mi|km|abbr=off|spell=on|0}}, meandering along the shore of the loch. It means "Loch of rough water". In the 19th Century the village was named Janetown, then Jeantown.{{cite book|title=The Gazetteer of Scotland|publisher=Heritage Books|isbn=9781888265071|pages=247|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wGZQFIhkWWYC&q=janetown+jeantown+lochcarron&pg=PA247|author=John E Wilson|year=1996}} The local newspaper, An Carrannach, is published on a monthly basis.
Lochcarron is a central location for hillwalking and touring the West Coast Highlands, including the Torridon, Plockton and Skye regions. Close to the village lies the Bealach na Bà road (Gaelic: Pass of the cattle), which links Applecross to the rest of the mainland. It is a road popular with tourists, drivers, and motorcyclists alike for its scenery and hairpin bends.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}
Amenities
Lochcarron contains a variety of local services. These include two petrol stations, a Spar shop (which has a Post Office counter), a library, a nursing home (attached to which is the local library), medical centre and tartan weaving heritage shop.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}
There are also two hotels (offering entertainment and meals),{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} a restaurant and two cafés. The community hall hosts a number of public events including ceilidhs and sales; and sports such as indoor bowls and short tennis.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}
There are a number of self catering and bed and breakfast establishments, many of which are members of the local business association.{{cite web|url=http://www.lochcarron.org.uk/|title=Lochcarron and District Business Association}}
Education
The local primary school stands at the entrance to the village, with 43 pupils (as of December 2019). The primary school offers both English and Gaelic Medium education. Plockton High School is the nearest secondary school to Lochcarron.{{Cite web|url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/directory_record/521676/lochcarron_primary/category/380/primary|title=Schools - Lochcarron Primary|website=Highland Council|access-date=24 December 2019}}
Employment
The area's biggest employment sectors include tourism, crofting, and fish farming.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} Other employers include transportation via sea and road, and quarry work. Service industries include engineering, motor garages, health services and education. The Howard Doris Centre employs people in the care sector.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}
Sport and recreation
Sailing is a popular activity amongst the local and visiting population, and as such, a local RYA accredited, and Volvo Championship Club hosts free sailing sessions every Wednesday evening (between April and October), and racing sessions every Sunday afternoon. It currently enlists over 100 members.{{cite web|url=http://www.lochcarronsailing.com|title=Lochcarron Sailing Club - Home|work=lochcarronsailing.com}}
Lochcarron is home to the local shinty team Lochcarron Camanachd. The team currently play their home games at Battery Park in the west end of the village. The playing field is used during the week for training, and knockabout sessions.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}
There is a 9-hole course in the area which is over 150 years old.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} The golf club's clubhouse offers catering facilities and golf clubs available to hire.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}
The nearby Attadale hosts an annual Highland Games every third Saturday of July.
Gallery
Image:SmokeCeilingInLochcarron.jpg|Smoke rising in Lochcarron is stopped by an overlying layer of warmer air.
File:Tartan Weaving in Lochcarron.jpg|Tartan weaving in Lochcarron