A trip on the Cromarty Queen

Nigg headland from Cromarty

A couple of weeks ago the children had two days off school.  We had some friends up coming to visit on the Friday but I wanted to do something special on the Thursday.  We took a trip on the Cromarty Queen - a wee ferry which runs from Cromarty, on the Black Isle, to Nigg on the north shore of the Cromarty Firth. The route is the old King's Ferry and runs through the summer until the end of September so we only had a few days to spare for this year. 

It was such a windy day that I phoned in advance to check it was running - 'yes' for cars but 'no' for foot passengers, in case they had to shut the service later in the day and the pedestrians became stranded on the wrong side! The ferry is tiny, it only holds a handful of cars, and each is turned on an on-deck turntable so that they can drive on and off the same end.  I have to say it is a little nerve-wracking to drive down the little concrete pier onto a gently moving ramp while the ferry revs it's engine to stay in the same place!

The location is rather incongruous.  Cromarty is a beautiful fishing village, with a very long history thanks to the natural harbour (first appearing in historical records in the 1200s as a royal burgh).  Nigg, on the other hand, is an industrial hub with an oil rig rerurbishing yard, renewable energy and one of the largest dry docks in Europe.

Waiting for the ferry at Cromarty, looking across to Nigg

Cromarty, from Nigg

Next was a visit to ANTA for tea and scones.  I ogled a lot of stoneware, and even more beautiful tweed (particular the rugs!), but didn't spend a penny.......it is a case of spend none or an awful lot!

 

Our last stop, after a hurried picnic lunch, was a walk through Evanton Community Wood (which I loved, we'll be back) to Black Rock Gorge.  The gorge is incredibly deep and narrow and the children were suitably impressed - it was the scene for the dragon chase in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (apparently it took 10 days of filming using a remote-controlled helicopter).

 

I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have all this on our door-step.  It does feel pretty isolating at times only having acquaintances rather than friends but that will come with time, and in the meantime I just need to soak in the scenery and magic of the area and be thankful that the children are settling so well. 

 

 

Summer snapshots - a daytrip to the west coast

Falls of Measach, Corrieshalloch Gorge

I think this was one of our favourite days in the summer.  We can't quite believe that we can visit such special places as Ullapool so easily - less than an hour in the car.  John has been planning for us to make a day trip since we first knew we would be moving!





The suspension bridge

 First stop was Corrieshalloch Gorge, meaning Ugly Hollow in Gaelic but I think it is pretty stunning.  I think we all did.  It is a National Trust for Scotland site and they maintain the suspension bridge, which was built in 1874 by Sir John Fowler (one of the chief engineers involved in the Forth Bridge), and the viewing platform.  The gorge itself was cut by glacial meltwater 2.5 million years ago.

I have visited in the past, the last time around 20 years ago when I was on a student hillwalking trip (I wasn't a cool and trendy student!)....but I think I found it far more impressive this time.  Perhaps having children to keep an eye on had something to do with my sense of perspective!

Viewing platform

Looking from the viewing platform to the suspension bridge

Next stop was Ullapool itself.  It is a real picture perfect little highland town, it couldn't really be in a more beautiful spot.  It was designed in 1788 by Thomas Telford for the British Fisheries Society when fishing became an organised industry at the height of the herring boom*.  It still operates as a small fishing harbour, and the main ferry point for Stornaway in the Outer Hebrides, but nowadays tourism is very important.

Normally we are religious about taking a picnic lunch with us, it costs a lot to buy lunch for us all.  But because this was John's special day we had fish and chips as a treat.  It was delicious, helped no doubt by the view of the harbour and the fresh sea air.

Cul Beag, Stac Pollaidh and Cul Mor

 Next stop was Knockan Crag.  This National Nature Reserve has some of the oldest rocks in Europe and the excellent interpretation tells the story of the role this site played in our understanding of key geological points - such as how rocks move from where they were formed and how older rocks can lie above younger ones.

The Moine Thrust is internationally famous - at Knockan Crag you can clearly see the much older and darker Moine schist lying above the lighter and younger Durness limestone.  Peach and Horne were the two mappers for the Geological Survey of Scotland who, in the early 1900s, worked out that tectonic movement explained the conundrum.



Yellow mountain saxifrage at home on a patch of limestone

Big steps for small legs

I'm sure we'll have many more trips west to this special part of our country.  I would love to explore some of the other sites in the North West Highland Geopark and the hills are some of the most dramatic you could hope to see and walk.  The main hills shown in the photos above are Cul Beag, Cul Mor and Stac Pollaidh.

I hadn't intended to write so much but I truly loved this trip and the places we visited and I found myself sharing lots more than planned.  I would most definitely urge you to visit if you ever get the chance!

* I don't know nearly as much as I should about the story of the herring industry in Scotland.  The boom in the early 1800s was fuelled by a government bounty of £3 per tonne to every owner of a boat of more than 60 tonnes and a further bounty for fish sold overseas.  Much of the industry was based in east coast towns and further north it offered hope for those suffering from the Highland Clearances.  I'm planning to re-read Neil Gunn's The Silver Darlings - a novel set in a north east fishing village and told through Finn and his mother Catriona. 

Summer snapshots - cycling to Rosemarkie beach

Cycling to Rosemarkie Beach - another summer snapshot.  It takes us only five minutes or so to get there......along quiet roads, past the golf course and campsite, with the sea in view all the way. 

Our silly Susie hasn't taken to running alongside the bike very readily.  She started off pretty convinced that the bike was out to attack her.  But after several more trips, and some patience and encouragement, she is steadily relaxing and beginning to enjoy the run.....and I can stop gritting my teeth.  I don't find it at all relaxing to have a reluctant dog beside me given that I'm shepherding the three older children and desperately trying to make sure I don't topple my bike with Katie on the back!  I think the perseverance is paying off though and I can see us making this trip often.  Katie and I walk along too Rosemarkie too, after the others have been safely escorted onto the school bus, but I think we'll cycle sometimes especially if we have less time and want to be sure that Susie has had a good run.

In other news, the sun has returned.  Not with quite so much heat behind it but it is certainly very welcome!  I hope you are enjoying a sunny Monday morning too!

Here, there and everywhere

Here::

What a view - taken from our garden and is the view from our kitchen and sitting room.....wonderful



We can see the sea too

'Our' beach....just 10 minutes walk from the house

Picnic lunch today

Hello!  I do hope you are having a lovely summer. Sorry to have been so absent.  We are safely moved.  I can't tell you what a relief it is to be here and beginning our new life.  Major house renovations, followed by selling, buying and moving from one end of the country to the other, while solo parenting for a good few weeks, came with a fair few stresses and strains.  But, after a month or so of being homeless (staying with my parents and then in a rented cottage) we moved into our new home about 5 weeks ago (I think, I'm losing track already).  So, we're here and we love it although it still feels rather surreal and rather as if we are on holiday.  We have had four lots of visitors staying so far and another two sets this coming week - thankfully I was pretty efficient with the unpacking and it was all done within the first couple of weeks.  Helped hugely by our first visitors - my mum and dad, who entertained small people and did lots of digging in the garden.  Yes, garden.......I can't tell you how exciting that is!

There::

This little girl absolutely loves to walk

This big little boy will start high school after the summer - how did that happen?

This girl spends most of her time in a mysterious world of her own

Walking part of the Speyside Way - from Knockando (where we visited the wool mill, what a perfect spot)

This boy is coping so well with being uprooted......and he has even more freckles this summer!

One of my favourite short walks, ever - Loch an Eilean (and Inshriach nursery and tearoom is a favourite spot too)

We were away for the week last week with John's parents and had a lovely time exploring Strathspey.  John and I know the area well but it was new to them and to the children. We had almost perfect weather but we were pleased to come back home and do a bit more settling (and entertaining).

Everywhere::

Just for my records - Finn is in a real tree climbing phase - this is the scariest yet!

We'll be off again in a wee while, down south to soak up the Commonwealth Games.  We're all pretty excited about the three events we have tickets for.  Shortly after that we have some time in Elie, Fife with my family.  So........I suspect I'll not be around here much but I wanted to pop in, record some photos and say hi to all.  And to apologise for the lack of commenting and communication in general.   I'm not going to promise a great improvement just yet - I think that will have to wait until the children are settled into the new school term next August/September.  In the meantime I hope you are enjoying some sun and maybe even some relaxation!