Jump to content

Altnabreac

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Amandashy (talk | contribs) at 21:19, 12 May 2016 (Added information about the school, station and addition of the gamekeeper's house). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Altnabreac
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townHALKIRK
Postcode districtKW12
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland

Altnabreac (from Scottish Gaelic Allt nam Breac) is a tiny settlement within the former county of Caithness, in the north of Scotland, and now within the Highland council area. The settlement, notable for its remoteness, consists of Altnabreac railway station and the former Altnabreac School which had one teacher/head teacher (David L. Jenkinson). The school classroom was closed and converted from a school/house solely into a house in 1987. The former gamekeeper's house sits adjacent to the school and station. There is a natural spring about 200 yards from the school providing crystal clear drinking water. During the 1980s peat banks were worked to provide fuel for the residents who regularly used to be cut off from the nearest town of Thurso during the winter. It can only be approached by train by special request to stop at the unmanned station, or along unsurfaced Forestry Commission roads from the nearest village, Westerdale, about 12 miles away.

Altnabreac, like Dounreay, was considered as a location for a final repository for the UK's nuclear waste. However, this idea was not pursued.