Named after Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, Countess of Sutherland (1765 - 1839) and wife of George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland, Bettyhill sits on the north coast of Sutherland district, Highland Council Area, 9 miles (15 km) southwest of Strathy Point. Originally Bettyhill of Farr, the village is situated at the head of Strath Naver. It developed from one of 64 communities that populated the area before the Sutherland clearances in the early 19th Century and was one of the few to remain after them as the people were moved to the coast in a misguided experiment in resettlement. The Sutherlands developed the village as a fishing port, but this industry has declined and a solitary pier (together with an ice-house) to the west on Torrisdale Bay are now neglected. Notable buildings include the Farr Free Church (1845), Farr Parish Church (1909), Bettyhill Hotel (1819) and, to the east of the village, the Strathnaver Museum occupying the former St Columba's Parish Church (1788), which documents the history of the area. Farr High School is located here, with 87 pupils who are either local or drawn from the surrounding area. In 2002 this was one of the highest achieving schools in Scotland. Adjacent is the two-room Farr Primary School with 40 pupils. Bettyhill benefits from several other facilities; a village hall, leisure pool, library and tele-service centre, police station, fire station, general store and post office, and a seasonal tourist information centre. There are fine sandy beaches nearby.
