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| One of 3 mosaics created by the local folks of Rosemarkie |
We extended our stay in Rosemarkie by a day before heading off for Brora as the previous day's weather had hampered our plans (though with internet access and some spare time I was able to bring the blog uptodate!).
I was delighted to finally find open the Groam House Museum - an outstanding Pictish Centre with a unique display of Pictish stones and in particular the 8th Century cross-slab decorated with Pictish symbols, found when excavating to build the local church (along with many smaller samples). Very little is known of the Picts - pre-Roman settlers in Scotland - who became known as 'picture people' because of the amazing drawings on stone that have been uncovered over the centuries. More of these amazing Pictish stones have been discovered throughout this area and can be visited in situ.
Cromarty,
lying on the northern point of the Black Isle, frequented by recuperating North Sea oil rigs, retains the atmosphere of a bygone era. The birthplace of Hugh Miller: who rose from humble beginnings as a journeyman stoneman to international acclaim as a geologist, editor, writer and folk historian. The incredible and fascinating story of his life and work unfolded as we wandered around what is now a little museum and where he lived with his wife and family. Outside was an intriguing natural sciences themed little garden. We were also able to visit the charming little thatched cottage of his birthplace next door, built around 1698, and home of his ancestors.
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| 'Ammonite' made from scrap metal: kettles; buttons; pots; lamps..... |
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| Pretty Cromarty cobbled street |
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We ended the day with a return visit to the superb little bistro on the seafront where I enjoyed the most delicious belly of pork with bramble sauce - it looked so much like a work of art on the plate it was a shame to dismantle it!! We returned to Libby where we sat in the peace and quiet (no wind or rain!) enjoying watching the lights of ships gliding on the water in the growing darkness and the twinkling lights across the otherside of the bay. Shall miss this place - means we've been here too long!
Journey to Brora:
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| Avoch - pretty little fishing village next door to Rosemarkie |
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| Bridge over the Firth of Dornoch |
Brora
2nd - 4th Sept
Situated on the east coast of Sutherland the site was set in a sheltered saucer of land by a sandy bay. A golf course separated the site from the beach so it was look right, left and right again before crossing and listening for the "fore"!! The wind was so strong we saw very few golfers during our stay! We seem to be beleaguered by high winds lately.
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| Brora beach |
Behind the site were fields and mountains - and the Clynelish distillery with the obligatory visit - though we resisted the temptation to buy!!! The Countess of Sutherland built a brewery in 1817 to discourage
locals from distilling very strong home-made whisky which had 'nursed people in
deceit and vice'. Two years later her husband opened a distillery at Clynelish to
stamp out smuggling and the illicit whisky stills hidden in the local hills.
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| View behind the campsite |
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| Brora clock tower - erected by the mother of a soldier killed in WWI - it strikes every quarter hour in memory of the fallen
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| abandoned railway station at Brora |
We took the scenic 2 hour single track train ride to Wick - such variety of scenery en route with track running alongside the beach where we saw the dolphins swimming in the bay before cutting inland travelling through the mountains and finally travelling through the most desolate, flat and hostile landscape I've witnessed in Scotland. The weather turned very wet by the time we arrived and we had just an hour to browse around Wick before the last train back! We found an ironmongers where Michael attempted to purchase some tubing to create a breather pipe to avoid our floor being flooded again when filling the integral water tank! The shopkeeper couldn't help but "I know a man who can" - indicating the customer standing behind us who was the landlord of the local bar. Ten minutes later saw us in a rather seedy, well past it's sell by date pub where a few old fellas were enjoying a lunchtime drink (or few!!!) and there was a metre of tubing waiting for us - no charge! We found ourselves in conversation (of sorts - strong accent mixed with alcohol made deciphering a tad tricky!) with a couple of the fellas then as one of them made to leave, he politely shook Michael's hand, then in his hand, took mine on which he planted a kiss in the most gentlemanly manner!! That was Wick!
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| Section of ruin of church in the grounds of the newer church |
The weather was stormy and wild on our second day but we decided we'd take a walk along the beach - I was so bent into the wind to keep going that had the wind abruptly stopped I would have fallen flat on my face!! Needless to say our new bikes haven't seen much use yet!!
Now it's off to John O' Groats - and my guess is that if it's windy in this neck of the woods it's sure gonna be windy there!!!!!!!
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