Ord of Caithness
{{Short description|Headland in Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox landform
| name = Ord of Caithness
| photo = The A9 at Ord Burn, Sutherland (geograph 7825529).jpg
| photo_caption = The A9 road crossing the Ord
| elevation_m = 198
| map = Scotland
| map_caption = Location in Scotland
| map_image =
| location =
| coordinates = {{coord|58|8|22|N|3|36|15|W|type:landmark_region:GB|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| grid_ref_UK = ND 05649 17847
| type = Headland
}}
The Ord of Caithness ({{langx|gd|An t-Òrd Gallach}}){{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofcelticp0000unse/page/117|title=The History of the Celtic Place-Names of Scotland|last=Watson|first=William J.|location=Edinburgh and London|publisher=William Blackwood and Sons|date=1926|page=117}} is a granite mass on the east coast of the Highland council area of Scotland, on the boundary of the historic counties of Sutherland and Caithness. It is {{convert|2|mi|km}} north-east of Helmsdale. It forms a headland {{convert|198|m|ft}} high, known as Ord Point. The A9 road passes above the Ord; there are sharp bends as it follows the contours.[http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst805.html Ord of Caithness] Gazetteer for Scotland, accessed 8 August 2016.
History
Historically, "the grim barrier of the Ord guaranteed its (i.e. Caithness's) isolation, and travellers who passed that way were greatly impressed by the experience."James Miller, Caithness. Skilton & Shaw, 1979. Page 97. It was described in the 1880s: "The old road over it, formerly the only land ingress to Caithness, traversed the crest of its stupendous seaward precipices at a height and in a manner most appalling to both man and beast... even the present road, formed in 1811... has very stiff gradients." It is said to be fatally unlucky for any member of the Sinclair family to cross the Ord on a Monday, as this was the day on which the flower of the clan left Caithness for Flodden Field, never to return.Francis Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, 1882–4. Quoted in [https://web.archive.org/web/20160822213722/https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/26868 Ord of Caithness] Vision of Britain. Version dated 22 August 2016 retrieved via Wayback Machine.
Gallery
File:Coastal Path on the Ord of Caithness, Highlands (geograph 7792712).jpg|The old cliffside road, now part of the John o' Groats Trail
File:Smiles 1878 robertdickbaker00smil 0068 Ord of Caithness.jpg|Seaward view of the Ord (1878)
File:Ord of Caithness layby - geograph.org.uk - 482782.jpg|Ord of Caithness layby
References
{{reflist}}
{{clear}}
External links
{{oscoor gbx|ND 05649 17847}}
{{Commons category|Ord of Caithness}}
{{Portal bar|Scotland|Geography|}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Headlands of Scotland
Category:Landforms of Highland (council area)
{{purge}}