Heuch

/hjuːx/ noun

Definition

A Scottish and Northern English dialect word for a steep cliff, ravine, or narrow valley, often with a stream.

Etymology

From Middle English and Old English sources, related to Old Norse haugr. This word is still used in Scottish place names and refers to those dramatic steep-sided valleys carved by water erosion.

Kelly Says

Scotland's landscape is dotted with 'heuchs'—and these aren't just pretty cliffs, they're geologically important features that shaped where people could settle, farm, and defend themselves, making them central to Scottish history!

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