North Kessock Scottish Gaelic: Ceasag a Tuath
Main Street, with the Kessock Bridge in the background
North Kessock Location within the Ross and Cromarty area
Area	0.79 km2 (0.31 sq mi) [1]
Population	1,290 (mid-2020 est.)[2]
• Density	1,633/km2 (4,230/sq mi)
OS grid reference	NH652477
Council area	Highland
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Inverness
Postcode district	IV1 3
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Ross, Skye and Lochaber
Scottish Parliament	Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch
List of places UK Scotland 57°30′05″N 4°14′43″W / 57.5015°N 4.2453°W / 57.5015; -4.2453

North Kessock (Gaelic: Ceasag a Tuath or Aiseag Cheasaig^[3]) is a village on the Black Isle north of Inverness.

Description

North Kessock is the first village encountered over the Kessock Bridge. Now bypassed by the main road to the north (the A9), the village remains quiet.^[4] Its counterpart across the Beauly Firth, South Kessock, is a district of Inverness.

History

North Kessock probably existed as early as 1437, when the Dominican monastery in Inverness was granted a charter to operate a ferry to the Black Isle.^[4][5] This was on the pilgrim route north to St Duthac Church in Tain.

Recently the community has been involved in a long running dispute over the location of glass recycling bins.^[6] The matter was settled after a community ballot organised by Highland Council where 67% of those who responded voted to site the bins in the main car park.^[7]

Wildlife

North Kessock is a famous spot for watching bottlenose dolphins, which are resident in the Moray Firth – indeed they are the most northerly group of bottlenose dolphins in the world.^{[citation needed]}