Kildary
| Kildary Gaelic: Caoldaraigh | |
| Cromartyshire | |
|---|---|
 Balnagown Castle | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NH768749 |
| Location: | 57°44’51"N, 4°4’16"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Tain |
| Postcode: | IV18 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Highland |
Kildary is a small village in Cromartyshire. It is located on the Balnagown River and is bordered by Balnagown Castle and the Balnagown estate, owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, former owner of Harrods department store in London. The main A9 road passes close by, running in parallel to the Inverness - Thurso railway, known as the Far North Line.
The only landmark visible from the A9 is Ken's Garage, which has been on the same site for many decades. Ken's Garage gets its name from the original proprietor Mr Ken Mackay. It is now owned by the Bannerman brothers. The A9 used to run in front of the garage until the road was realigned. Close by is an unusual Tudor-style Lodge, known as East Lodge, attached to the Tarbat Estate.
Kildary was served in the past by a railway station. It was opened on 1 June 1864 as Parkhill and renamed Kildary on 1 May 1868. The station was closed on 13 June 1960. The station was demolished when the A9 was realigned.
The village is a good starting point for walks or drives - the Scotsburn area to the north is a warren of single track roads, and the village of Milton, also known as Milntown of Tarbat 300 yards to the south allows access to woodland and the Balnagown River, which can be followed down to the coast, the Cromarty Firth. The Scotsburn area was home to a number of German prisoners of war during World War II, who were employed in helping the farming community locally. [1]
Kildary is an important site for those researching the Clan Ross. However, the castle is on private land and limited access permission must be obtained well before any visit. Mohamed Al Fayed has announced plans, August 2006, for a restaurant to be built within the castle grounds, offering produce farmed by the estate.