The Central Highlands

From the coastal region we headed inland to the central Highlands of the Grampian Mountains along the Spey River of whiskey fame.

What is it?  Found on the shores of a small Loch.  At the time we thought it to be a natural stone but may have been the bowl for a pestal.

A decent place to sit at the Cairn Gorm Visitor centre near Aviemore.

A bleak and rugged landscape on the higher land of the Cairngorm Mountains, central to the Cairngorms National Park.

There is an easier way to climb a Munro.  What are we on about?  A Munro, for the mountain (hill) climbing fraturnity in the UK, is any elevation (a mountain to the British) above 3000 feet (917m).  It is a national pastime for the rugged outdoors type to notch up how many they have climbed and in this region there are a number of tops over 3000 feet.  The cable car, on the left, takes about 9 minutes to carry passengers nearly to the top of Cairn Gorm Mountain 1245m.  In winter it takes skiers.

A general view of the landscape near the top where there is a visiter centre and viewing platforms around the building.

Another view.  The hills are all well weathered and round topped with few rocky escarpments.

Down the funicular railway (cable car) and back on the road a visit to this small Loch and forest walk area not far away.

The gallery is a restored and well maintained cottage.

With a very authentic slate roof seen here complete with moss.

No discussion of the highlands would be complete a look at heather, seen here in full bloom near Dalwhinnie, a few miles south west of Aviemore below Loch Ericht.  We were lucky to be able to rent a "self catering" cottage here for a week  to explore the area.

The eroded granite rock leaves lots of water pools near and in small streams.

There are also pockets of cultivated grassland grazed mostly by highland black face sheep.

Although these were found on more rugged territory nearby.

We took a drive down the valley of Loch Laggan and the Gen Spean whihc is the home of the great house in the TV series Monarch of the Glen. On the left the gate keepers cottage and bridge entry to the property.

A full view of he cottage with its tower that would have been the first part built as a defensive post.

The house was only visible in the distance across the Loch.

In all other respects the Glen is rather bleak yet has its own charm.

The words "military road" show on various maps.  This one the Wade military road originally built in the mid 1700's, at Spean Bridge, near Fort William, one time a rail line and now a walking track.  It is in an area since used for military taininng and there is a major memorial to the Commandos who trained  in this location of Spean Bridge.  At this location we had actually linked with our route north going through Fort William and Spean Bridge on our way down Loch Ness.

The Spean River showing old bridge abbutments.

Rail is an important transport and these trains frequently passed through Dalwhinnie with some even stopping for passengers.

Also frequent freight trains, this one travelling the opposite way only a few minutes after the passenger train.

These older type signals were still in use.

Britain is connected by rail and includes the small village of Dalwhinney. Its claim to fame is where General Montgomery alighted for a few days to ponder his plan for Dunkirk during WW11.

We assume this nonsensal notice was not then in place on the platform when Montgomery alighted.  Question. How does one get to the train to ask the conductor?

Not far away from our cottage Dalwhinnie is the ruin of the Ruthven Barracks built in the 1700's to accommodate a detachment of the King's troops.  It is midway through a major east-west route through the highlands.

The National Trust plaque.

Strengthening and restoration work is being carried out.

It is however just a shell.

If was not for the camera he is holding this character may have been here all the time.

This shows where floor joists were located in the walls to carry various floors in the defensive tower.

The sign says it all.  The stables were about 30m from the main building.

The stable outback.

Remains of the stables showing the thickness of the walls.

As it may have once looked on the mound over-looking the valley.

Any tour of Scotland would be incomplete without visiting a distillery all of which encourage tours of the premises and of course the sales room. Dalwhinnie is reputed to be the highest elevation distillery in Scotland near the head of the Truim River which then flows into the Spey River.

The central highlands is very much about lochs, ...

...forests and woodlands, ...

... wetlands, ...

... and with a bit of luck sighting free roaming wildlife...

...and the small wildflowers

Plantation trees on a high plateau with these open lanes between small blocks.

The soils appeared as a water logged clay.  Between each second row of trees was a deep trench, now grassed over, which looked to have been created when the trees were planted.

An exclosure plot showing the natural reversion if the land is not grazed by animals.

Inverness - Strathspey August 2011

Bed and Breakfasts were our preferred accommodation and this one in Inverness had been recommended by our host in Thurso.  By chance she also had a mobile phone the same as ours so were able to charge it up as we had left the charger  in NZ.  Managed this way for most of the trip!!

The battle field of Culloden, not far to the east of Inverness was the first historic place to visit on Friday 12 August.  Even although it was a fine day it ws still a bleak place and must have been more so on the day of the last significant battle between Scots and English in 1745.

This gives and idea of the atrocious land over which fighting took place.

The cairn erected on the site whihc is a National Trust protected area.

It carries this inscription.

The various clans grave sites are marked in this manner.

A restored cottage dating for the time.

A further to the east another castle visit, this time Brodie Castle near Forres.  This had been restored by the National Trust.  As with most it started as a tower defensive castle which can be seen at the left with two more wings being added at a later date to the right.

A novel use of of sheep horns for some sort of fighting weapon.

But why would a childs skeleton be kept in a glass case.

A cheese press near the dairy door.

A long walk down to the lake from the castle.

Just to see a swan or two.  After this we retired to a B&B at Forres nearby. 

Thurso - Inverness, Scotland, August 2011

On 11 August 2011 we started our journey southward to ensure we were in Aberdeen buy 22 August and well settled into the flats that had been arranged and able to greet guests arriving from New Zealand for the third great wedding of the year and the second important Scottish wedding, Zara Phillips having occuppied top spot by getting married in Scotland.

The rural farming scenes as we left Thurso were similar to until we reached the coast below Wick.

Here we glimpsed the source of riches to the east coast of Scotland - oil rigs in the North Sea.  It is the source of curretn wealth to Aberdeen in particular.

The sun did shine the odd time to enable a picnic lunch or even dinner in the evening.

The Clearances of Scotland are well documented and along the coast an historic site protected along the coast near Dunbeath.

 Remains of an old long house.

An inhospitable landscape where crofters were resettled and expected to be able to make a living.  Try as they might the families gradually moved elsewhere and abandoned the settlement.  The history reads little different to the settlement up the wanganui River in New Zealnd but settled for different reasons and now reverted to Government Conservation land.

There was also some very productive pasture land further south.

And seaside vista but really too cold for other than viewing.

Large bridges over Dornock Firth, Cromarty Firth and Moray Firth have greatly shortened the travel time from the north.

The night of 11th Aug we stayed in the suburbs of Inverness and the next day headed south east.

Caithness countryside

Three days were spent in and around Thurso.

Good farming land west of Thurso near Castletown.

There was a mix of both grazing and cropping.

Entrance to Olrig House which may have some family connection.  Further comment below.

A member of Raymond's great grandmother's family  is recorded as being baptised at Olrig House. It may have been at this church.

All that remains of the church.  The plaque above is on the wall.  It is surrounded by an old cemetary and just across the road is the current cemetary.

The gatehouse nearby.  Sign says "Olrig House - drive to house only".

Flagstones were quarried at a coastal site and shipped around the world.  Here used for fencing.  Often seen along district fences but not often maintained as seen here beside a driveway.

The coast is rugged and has claimed many ships.

Lighthouse at Dunnet Head.

And another is at Dunansby Head near John'O'Groats.  Steep cliffs drop to the sea from flat farmland.

Seabirds nest on the steep cliffs protected from predators but it is like raising a family in a skyscraper without barriers.

A chick being fed.

Another on its own while the parent is away fishing.  There is a drop of over 15 metres to a churning sea below and several metres to the flat land above.  When this chick leaves the nest it will have to fly with practice runs.

Where rural meets urban at a village in Caithness.