Evanton

Evanton (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Eòghainn or Scottish Gaelic: Am Baile Ùr) is a small village in Easter Ross, in the Highland council area of Scotland. It lies between the River Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is 24 kilometres (15 miles) north of Inverness, some 6.5 kilometres (4 mi) southwest of Alness, and ten kilometres (6 mi) northeast of Dingwall. The village has a dozen or so streets, the main one being Balconie Street (on the B817 Road). It has been described by analysts at the Highland Council as a "commuting settlement", because most of the inhabitants work in other areas of Easter Ross and the greater Inverness area. The current town was founded in the early 19th century by Alexander Fraser of Inchcoulter/Balconie who named it after his son Evan, but the core of the village buildings date from the Victorian era. Evanton has several tourist attractions, including the Fyrish monument, the Black Rock Gorge and the ruined church of Kiltearn lying near the River Sgitheach as it flows into the Cromarty Firth, as well as other miscellaneous natural, historical and archaeological attractions in the surrounding area. It is also the home of Black Rock Caravan Park. There are two churches, one Church of Scotland and one Free Church of Scotland. There is one primary school, "Kiltearn Primary School" with seven classes and a nursery as of February 2025. The head teacher is Marianne Gow. The nearest high schools are in Dingwall and Alness. The local woodland is owned and managed by the local community. Due to its connection with the school, there are often trips to the woods from the classes in the school. The school's P7s also take trips to Altnacriche in spring for one week.