Gaelic on the Road: Place-Names that Change How You See the Land

Written By Jordan Ferguson

Gaelic isn’t just a language—it’s a guide to Scotland.

To get started, here’s a quick list of the most important words to learn to begin understanding the names of places on the Scottish map. If you can recognise a dozen Gaelic place-words, Scotland becomes easier to navigate.

Glen or Strath tells you the shape of the valley; Inver and Aber mark river mouths; Sgùrr and Ben announce the peaks.

  • Ben / Beinn = mountain or high hill — BEN (Gaelic Beinn also said ben)

  • Glen / Gleann = narrow valley — GLEN / GLEN
    Strath / Srath = wide valley — STRATH / SRAH (rolled r)

  • Loch = lake/sea inlet — LOKH (kh as in loch)
    Eilean = island — ELL-an

  • Bealach = mountain pass — BYAL-akh (kh)
    Coire = corrie (bowl-shaped hollow) — KOR-uh

  • Sgùrr = sharp peak — SKOOR
    Càrn = cairn/hill — KARN
    Eas = waterfall — ESS

  • Inver / Inbhir = river mouth — IN-ver / IN-vir
    Aber = river mouth/confluence (Brittonic) — AB-er

  • Kyle / Caol = narrows/strait — KYLE / COOL (Gaelic vowel; approx. “kool”)

  • Tarbert / Tairbeart = isthmus/portage — TAR-bert / TAR-bairt

  • Machair = fertile Atlantic grasslands (Outer Hebrides) — MAH-kher (kh)

Learn these, and Scotland starts to “speak” to you as you travel across the country.

*Thinking about a first small-group trip? See our Highlands day tours—short walks, big views, story-rich stops.

Why Gaelic place-names matter on the road

Scotland’s map is full of clues. A road sign that says Bealach na Bà isn’t just a lovely name—it warns you you’re heading up a steep mountain pass to hairpin heaven. Strathspey tells you to expect a wide valley along the River Spey; Glen Coe a narrow, drama-filled glen carved by ice and story. Learn a handful of patterns and the country stops being random landmarks and becomes a readable story.

Prefer not to drive? Join our small-group tours—we decode the names and the legends while you enjoy the views.

Quick pronunciation tips

  • bh / mh often sound like v (e.g., Inbhir ≈ “IN-ver”)

  • ch is as in loch (a soft, throaty sound)

  • Accents (ù, ò, etc.) mark vowel length; don’t worry about perfection—locals will appreciate the effort.

  • When in doubt, say the anglicised form on road signs (e.g., Ben rather than Beinn).

The landforms:

Ben & friends: Scotland’s hills in plain sight

  • Ben / Beinn → mountain or high hill: Ben Nevis, Ben Lomond, Ben More. Once you spot Ben, expect a proper climb or a skyline anchor on your journey.

  • Sgùrr → a sharp, rocky peak—common on Skye (think jagged silhouettes in the Cuillin).

  • Càrn → cairn/hill; you’ll see it across the Cairngorms (“blue/green cairn”)

Valleys: Glen vs Strath

  • Glen / Gleann means a deep, narrow valley (e.g., Glen Coe).

  • Strath / Srath is a broad, open valley (e.g., Strathspey, Strathclyde).
    Knowing the difference helps you visualise the road ahead—tight, cliff-walled drama or big river-carved openness.

Passes, corries and waterfalls

  • Bealach = mountain pass (e.g., Bealach na Bà to Applecross).

  • Coire = corrie, a bowl-shaped hollow carved by ice.

  • Eas = waterfall—keep your camera ready. These three are brilliant walk-planning words on maps and signposts.

Water & coast:

Lochs, islands and narrows

  • Loch covers both lakes and sea inlets, so don’t assume freshwater.

  • Eilean means island (e.g., Eilean Donan—Donan’s Island - pictured).

  • Kyle / Caol points to narrows/straits like the Kyle of Lochalsh—expect tides and views squeezed between land.

River mouths: Inver & Aber

Two common starters mark where rivers meet the sea or another river:

  • Inver- from Gaelic Inbhir (e.g., Inverness).

  • Aber- from a Brittonic cousin (e.g., Aberdeen).
    Spot them and you know you’re near a confluence or estuary—a good place for harbours, bridges and historic towns.

Thin places: Tarbert

Tarbert / Tairbeart literally means “carry-across”—an isthmus so narrow people once portaged boats to skip a long sail. You’ll find them all over the west coast (Tarbert in Kintyre, Harris, Loch Lomond). Great pubs now; ancient shortcuts then.

Hebridean magic: Machair

On the Atlantic edge, you’ll meet machair—fertile, low-lying grasslands backed by dunes and blazing with wildflowers in summer. Think white sand, turquoise water, and corncrakes in the Outer Hebrides.

Size & Colour Clues:

You’ll often see a colour or descriptor tucked into a name. A few favourites:

  • Mòr / Mhòr = big (e.g., Ben More)

  • Beag / Bheag = little (e.g., Buachaille Etive Beag - pictured)

  • Dubh = black/dark (lava, peat or shadow)

  • Dearg = red (iron-rich rock, evening light)

  • Bàn = white/pale (quartzite, pale grass, snow)

  • Gorm = blue/blue-green (note: ranges into “greenish-blue” in Gaelic usage)

  • Liath = grey (lichen, granite)

Once you learn them, you’ll see them everywhere!

Norse footprints you’ll meet too

Scotland’s coasts, especially the isles, carry Old Norse as well as Gaelic. That’s why you’ll see:

  • Uig / -vik = bay

  • Stac / Stack = sea stack

  • Ey / -ay = island (e.g., Stornoway once Stjórnavágr)

A classic loop you might drive (and how the names help)

Edinburgh → Stirling → Glencoe → Fort William → Glenfinnan → Mallaig → Isle of Skye (Portree, Trotternish) → Loch Ness → back via Pitlochry

  • Stirling: castles and rivers meet here; a natural crossroads since forever.

  • Glencoe (Gleann Comhann): drama guaranteed—glen tells you to expect steep, narrow sides and sudden weather.

  • Glenfinnan: another glen, but the viaduct hints at railway history (yes, the “Hogwarts Express” passes).

  • Mallaig: Norse-leaning coast; ferries slice through kyles (narrows).

  • Skye: the Cuillin give you sgùrr after sgùrr—jagged peaks galore.

  • Portree (Port Rìgh): “King’s Port”—harbour life written in the name.

  • Loch Ness: remember loch can be freshwater or sea inlet—here it’s the former, long and deep.

  • Pitlochry: river, salmon ladder, woodlands; you’ll see eas (waterfalls) nearby after rain.

Want this without the driving? Our multi-day Skye & Highlands tours follow this arc with time for short walks, photos and whisky stops.

Handy mini-glossary:

Landforms:
Ben/Beinn (mountain), Sgùrr (rocky peak), Càrn (cairn/hill), Bidean (pinnacle),
Glen/Gleann (narrow valley), Strath/Srath (broad valley),
Bealach (pass), Coire (corrie), Uamh (cave), Rubha (headland/point).

Water & coast:
Loch (lake/sea inlet), Eilean (island), Eas (waterfall),
Inver/Inbhir (river mouth), Aber (river mouth/confluence),
Kyle/Caol (narrows/strait), Tarbert/Tairbeart (isthmus/portage),
Machair (fertile Atlantic grasslands).

Descriptors:
Mòr (big), Beag (small), Dubh (black), Dearg (red), Bàn (white),
Gorm (blue/blue-green), Liath (grey), Fada (long).

FAQ

Is “Inver” the same as “Aber”?
More or less. Inver comes from Gaelic Inbhir, and Aber from Brittonic; both point to river mouths or confluences. The distribution hints at where different Celtic languages dominated. The Bottle Imp+1

What does “Tarbert” actually mean?
An isthmus—literally “carry-across,” from the old practice of portaging boats between lochs. You’ll find Tarberts at strategic necks of land on the west coast and islands. en.wikipedia.org

What is “machair” and where can I see it?
A rare Atlantic grassland on the Outer Hebrides and parts of the west coast—flat, fertile turf bursting with summer wildflowers behind white-sand beaches. Outer Hebrides

Do I need Gaelic to travel in Scotland?
No—but a few words sharpen your sense of place. You’ll start spotting passes, corries and river mouths before the sat-nav does.

Where to next?

Jordan Ferguson
Next

Rain or Shine: Why Scotland’s Weather Makes It Even Better