Avoch

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Avoch (Scottish Gaelic: Abhach - mouth of the stream) is a harbour-village located on the Black Isle, on the Moray Firth. The village's name is pronounced "Och" as in the well-known Scots interjection "Och aye the noo".

Ormond Castle or Avoch Castle was a stronghold was built on the site and served as a royal castle to William the Lion, then passed to the Morays of Petty, before passing to Archibald the Grim the Lord of Galloway upon his marriage to Joanna de Moravia in 1362. Descendants of Archibald, were to take the title of Earl of Ormonde from the castle.

Avoch was the location of Rosehaugh (Pittanochtie) House, perhaps the most magnificent mansion house in the Scottish Highlands until it was demolished in the 1959. Legend has it that the village was founded by survivors of the Spanish Armada. Population 1,020 (2004)

Intrepid Scottish-Canadian explorer Sir Alexander MacKenzie retired to Avoch in 1812. MacKenzie was the first European to explore the great Canadian river now known as the Mackenzie River and cross North America to the Arctic Ocean in 1789. MacKenzie was the first European to cross North America to the Pacific Ocean in 1793. MacKenzie died at Avoch in 1820 and was buried in the old Avoch Parish churchyard.

Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has offerings of both coins and clouties. Rags, wool and human hair were also used as charms against sorcery, and as tokens of penenace and fulfilment of a vow (Sharp 1998).

Avoch's trade once came from its fishing industry, which in modern times has decreased with Cromarty taking most of the profit. Dolphin and wildlife-watching boat trips still run, taking visitors to see the dolphins in the inner Moray Firth at Chanonry Point. Tourists now provide much of the village's income.