X marks the spot... Welcome to the very centre of Scotland
PINPOINTING t he precise geographical centre of Scotland i s apparently a complicated business, what with t i de movements, land erosion and ‘accretions’.
But for the sake of simplicity, one could always go for Glentruim – just off the A9, south of Newtonmore in Inverness-shire.
That is what residents of the remote Highland community did yesterday when they gathered to ‘reclaim’ the honour, unveiling a stone with a plaque on the ‘exact’ spot and reasserting a right lost in the mists of history.
The monument replaces an original which was appropriated by a person or persons unknown half-a- century ago, when li f e and measurement were simpler.
And Newtonmore Community Councillor Ruaridh Ormiston was adamant they had got it right.
He said: ‘This point used to be marked by the Ordnance Survey and we have always maintained this is the centre of Scotland as defined by the furthest point from the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.’
Unfortunately, in the years since the original marker went missing, more precise measuring techniques have cast doubt on whether the spot – OS Explorer Map 402. Map ref.678.942 ––is truly the centre of Scotland.
Modern Ordnance Survey experts reckon the ‘true’ centre may now lie a bit further south.
A spokesman said: ‘The centre of Scotland is between Blair Atholl and Dalwhinnie. Grid ref. NN 66784.93, 71599.4. It is just three kilometres to the West of beautiful Loch Garry and Dalnaspidal hunting estate.’
But he had the grace to admit that there is more than one way to skin a cat – or indeed to determine the precise centre point of a country.
For the fact is the exact spot could only be identified as an ‘absolute’ by using a given method at a given time due to those tides, erosion and accretion.
He added: ‘We use one technique to measure the centre point but we understand that there are other methods which generate different results.’
No matter what, history is on the side of Glentruim.
And Mr Ormiston said: ‘This spot is mentioned in several books, including Seton Gordon’s guide book Highways and Byways of the Central Highlands.
‘ It’s been recognised as the centre of Scotland since the 1860s. Today is a red letter day.’
And Glentruim resident Alistair MacRae, 90, who unveiled the stone along with new Nationalist MP Drew Hendry, said: ‘It’s a great day. I’ve been campaigning for the spot to be recognised again for years.
‘No matter what anyone says, this is the centre point.’
‘Recognised as centre since the 1860s’