The Black Isle

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This article is about the geographic area in Scotland. For the former games developer, see Black Isle Studios.

The Black Isle (Scottish Gaelic: an t-Eilean Dubh) is an eastern area of Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. It is nearly always referred to with the article "the" in front.

It includes such villages as:

Despite its name, the Black Isle is not an island, but a peninsula (Scottish Gaelic uses the same word for island and peninsula), surrounded on three sides by water — the Cromarty Firth to the north, the Beauly Firth to the south, and the Moray Firth to the east. On its fourth (western) side its boundary is delineated by rivers. The River Conon divides Maryburgh, a mile outside Dingwall, from Conon Bridge which is the first village on the Black Isle from the north-western side. Its southwestern boundary is variously considered to be marked by

a minor tributary of the River Beauly separating Beauly (in Inverness-shire) and Muir of Ord (in Ross and Cromarty and on the Black Isle) just beside Tomich House, dividing the 2 counties and also delineating the start of the Black Isle, or
the River Beauly itself, thus including Beauly in the Black Isle despite its official history in Inverness-shire (see map at "Black Isle Info" site).

The Black Isle was one of the earliest parts of the northern Highlands to experience "agricultural improvements", and was settled with many Lowland shepherds and farmers, especially from the north east.

The Black Isle Show, arguably the second most important agricultural show in Scotland, takes place at Muir of Ord on the first Thursday in August every year. It is second only to the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston and farmers come from all over Scotland and beyond to take part.

The Black Isle was the site of a major community protest against GM agriculture, culminating in the maintenance of Scotland's GM free status. see; http://www.munlochygmvigil.org.uk