Jean, The Black Isle is a headland which sticks out of the eastern end of Ross-shire into the Moray firth. Although not an island it is surrounded on all 4 side by water. On three sides it has The Beauly Firth (the name given to the Moray Firth once it goes inland from Inverness), The Moray Firth out to the Sutors (a small range of hills) at Cromarty and then it has The Cromarty Firth which comes all the way into Dingwall. On the 4th side it is delineated by rivers. The River Conon divides Maryburgh, 1 mile outside Dingwall from Conon Bridge which is the first village on the Black Isle from the western side. Through at the other end there is the river between Beauly (in Inverness-shire) and Muir of Ord (in Ross-shire and on the Black Isle) just beside Tomich House which divides the 2 counties and also delineates the start of the Black Isle on the south-western side but I cannot remember the name of the river there. So Muir of Ord is on the Black Isle and every year it hosts The Black Isle Show, arguably the second most important agricultural show in Scotland on the first Thursday in August. It is second only to the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston and farmers come from all over Scotland and beyond to take part. Regards Mark -----Original Message----- From: Jean Bill [mailto:levins65@shaw.ca] Sent: 12 October 2005 06:53 To: ROSSGEN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [RossGen] BLACK ISLE Where is it? My G.Grandfather's brother is said to have been born at BLACK ISLE. Other siblings were born at Aultbea and Muir of Ord. Is it near either of these? Muir of Ord is in Urray and is Aultbea in Poolewe Parish? Thanks for your help Jean Levins British Columbia ==== ROSSGEN Mailing List ==== To remove your email address from this list, visit this url: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cheps/maillist.htm