Badenoch facts for kids
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Badenoch is a special area in the Highlands of Scotland. Its name comes from a Scottish Gaelic phrase, Bàideanach, which means "drowned land." This area is surrounded by mountains: the Monadhliath Mountains to the north, the Cairngorms to the east, and the Grampians to the south. To the west, it borders Lochaber. Today, Badenoch is part of a larger area called Badenoch and Strathspey within the Highland Council. The main town, or capital, of Badenoch is Kingussie.
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Exploring Badenoch's Geography
Badenoch is a wild and beautiful place, mostly covered by mountains. It stretches about 36 miles (58 km) from northeast to southwest and 15 miles (24 km) from north to south. Many of its hills are taller than 3,000 feet (914 meters). This area also has large forests like Alder, Drumochter, Gaick, and Feshie, which are great places for deer.
Rivers and Lochs
The main river in Badenoch is the River Spey, and many smaller rivers flow into it. This means the area has lots of water! There are also several important lochs (lakes) here, including Loch Laggan, Loch Insh, and Loch Ericht. You can travel through Badenoch on the Highland railway line.
Modern Badenoch
Today, Badenoch includes several local areas called parishes: Alvie, Kingussie and Insh, and Laggan. Long ago, another area called Kincardine was also part of Badenoch.
Who Lives in Badenoch?
The people who live in Badenoch are part of its long history.
Population Numbers
According to the last count in 2011, about 3,930 people lived in Badenoch. Here's how they were spread out:
| Parish | Population |
|---|---|
| Alvie | 564 |
| Kingussie and Insh | 3100 |
| Laggan | 266 |
| TOTAL | 3930 |
Ancient Languages
Long ago, the Picts lived in Badenoch. We know this because some place names still have Pictish parts, like "Pit" (as in Pitowrie) and "Aber" (as in Aberarder). Later, the Pictish language was replaced by Scottish Gaelic around the 11th century. Even in 1881, a large number of people in Badenoch, about 74%, still spoke Gaelic!
Badenoch's History
Badenoch has a rich history with powerful families and important changes.
Early Lords of Badenoch
From 1229 to 1313, a powerful family called Clan Comyn controlled Badenoch. Later, in 1371, King Robert II gave Badenoch to his son, Alexander Stewart. He was known as the "Wolf of Badenoch" because he was a very strong and sometimes wild ruler. His Gaelic name was Alasdair Mòr Mac an Rìgh, which means 'Great Alexander, son of the king'.
After Alexander, Badenoch went back to the king. In 1452, it was given to Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly. Today, the head of the Huntly family still has the special title of "Lord of Badenoch."
Changing Borders
Over time, the way Scotland was divided into areas changed. In 1889, a new law called the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 was passed. This law created a new system for how local areas were managed. Because of this, Badenoch became part of a larger traditional county called Inverness-shire.
Economy of Badenoch
Badenoch has very few large industries. Most of the people live in towns and villages, especially around Kingussie and other places near the River Spey.
