Sunday's Adventure on the NC500: Destination Helmsdale

We awoke this morning to typical Scottish weather.  A bit rainy....a bit cloudy...and a bit chilly.  Were we disappointed?  Nope. Because I've always said that I'd rather be in Scotland in the rain, than not in Scotland at all.  And, let's face it...we were having a wee bit of an issue with the heat since neither of us had anticipated it.  So, the change was actually quite welcome in our eyes.

After a delicious breakfast at the Auld Post Office B&B, we drove up to Thurso to attend Sunday Mass at St. Anne's, where we were warmly welcomed by the parish priest. We then headed south east to Slaxigo, with the intent of visiting Castle Sinclair Girnigoe.   I had read on the NC500 facebook page that the road to the Noss Head Lighthouse Parking lot was closed to non local traffic.   So, we had determined an alternate plan that involved walking the John O'Groats coastal trail from Slaxigo to the castle.  

Well, it was pouring at a pretty good clip, and we were hesitant as to whether it would be worth trying to hike a long distance in the rain  when we arrived in Slaxigo.  I had no idea where we would park, but I did see a sign pointing to the left that said Noss Head Lighthouse. The road had been recently paved.  There was no sign of a road closure, so we decided to see how far we could get.

And, guess what?  We were able to drive all the way to the Noss Head Light House Parking lot.  And it was quite obvious that we weren't the only ones to do so, as the parking lot had several cars and motor homes parked in the lot. 

It was easy to spot the path to the left, as well as the castle in the distance.  The walk was gentle and had very little increase in elevation, so it was relatively easy to maneuver.  We had donned our rain gear to keep us dry and warm as the castle stands on the cliffs bordering the North Sea, so the wind can whip a cold breeze.

The photos lack the brilliant blue skies that spoiled us our first week here, but that doesn't diminish the beauty of the structure that dates back to the 1300's.

It was originally constructed by the Sinclair family. Over time, the Sinclair's began an expansion that would span 200 years.

The Sinclair earls continued to make improvements on the structure for several hundred years. Oliver Cromwell used the castle as a base in 1651.  When the troops departed, the owner sold the land and his Earldom to a cousin, Sir John Campbell  of Glenorchy. 

This caused some heated debate regarding who really owned the property.  In 1681, the Sinclair regained the Earldom and ownership of the castle.  It was after this that the castle was left to fall into disrepair. 

It is presently owned by the Clan Sinclair Trust and the castle is presently the only Scottish castle to be listed by the World Monument Fund as one of the 100 most endangered sites of the world. 

One could cross this bridge to get a closer look at the ruins. 

Once through the building, we spotted tons of birds sitting out on a rock.

And this seal took us quite by surprise when he popped up out of the water with a fish in his mouth!

How's that for some unexpected excitement?  We were certainly thrilled to have witnessed it.

We traveled back along the path to the car park, where we passed the lighthouse in the distance, with sheep frolicking in front.  That was a photo opportunity not to miss!

We no sooner got back to the car when the rain began to pick up again, so we were quite content to be driving to our next destination, which happened to be the Laidhay Croft Museum and Tea Shop. 

Our taste buds were treated to scones with cream and strawberry jam. 

Always a winning combination in my book! We then walked right next door to the Laidhay croft museum.

This a preserved, original Croft house that still stands on this land.  The roof is thatched and covered with fishing nets to keep it stable. 

There is a stables at the one end, with the parlor next to it. The rooms were bursting with items that had been collected by families in the areas for hundreds of years.  

One of the unique items on display is this decorative plate commemorating Queen Victoria's Silver Jubilee. 

and, interestingly enough, they had in house a triangular base which had been used instead of the concrete pillars that we had spied yesterday. 

In the very far end of the house, there was a room that was filled with gardening equipment. That included a variety of peat shovels.  

The view over the north sea from the house was superb!

From here we headed to the Navidale house, our intended destination for the night.  It's not too difficult to figure out what type of people this hotel caters to. 

Actually, Salmon fishing excursions are big around here, as we have learned the last couple of days.  This hotel only offers rooms, but the decor in the bar certainly reflects the fishing ties of the past. 

The owners have only been in possession of the place for 14 months, but they have been busy upgrading and adding some aesthetic improvements.

And the view from the back gardens is amazing.

With the weather getting mistier, we decided to take a quick drive into Helmsdale as I had made dinner reservations in a local shop.  The village is quite lovely, with a war museum perched on a hill looking over the Helmsdale river.   This is where Salmon fisherman come for the sport. 

Not far, and at the top of the hill looking out to the sea, there is a statue devoted to the Highland Clearances.  This village was just one of many that had  issued the clearance of tenant farmers these lands to be replaced by sheep.  The statue explains how one family ended up in Manitoba, Canada. 

We walked around a bit, admiring the beautiful views. 

Dinner was Fish n Chips, the La Mirage speciality.  Afterwards, we headed back to our B&B where we relaxed in the bar area while chatting with one of the co-owners. 

This might just have been the best day yet! I suppose we'll have to see what tomorrow brings.  I'll be sure to keep you posted!

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Exploring the Northeast Coast off the NC500

As promised, we are continuing our NC500 adventures, this time concentrating on the northeast section.  We are staying in a B&B about 20 miles south, in a village called Spittal.  Actually, I can't say that one can even call it a village, since it consists of only a few houses.  But the location was perfect for our means, and after a lovely breakfast, we hopped right onto the A9 and began our journey today by heading first to John O'Groats.  

It was just a very quick stop before we got back onto the road to head east to the Duncansby lighthouse.

This was far easier to reach than the Stoer Lighthouse on the opposite side of the country and we were there in no time at all.  The lighthouse itself cannot be toured, but it certainly made a lovely photo.

We had come to see the stacks!  So we headed up the trail (a relatively easy one to spot in comparison with the Stoer adventure.), and I was surprised to see the tops of the stacks so soon.  That sight was certainly welcomed, but before we reached the point of unobstructed views, we passed  The Geo of Sclaites, a deep chasm into the cliffside

We spotted all kinds of birds nesting in the levels imbedded into the rock.

After walking just a short distance more, the stacks came into full view.

I'd never seen anything like this before and they really are quite amazing!

The return walk led to some beautiful views in the opposite direction.

And the sun reappeared, adding a lovely glow to the cliffs.

Just before the car park, at the top of the hill behind the lighthouse, stands  a triangulation pillar that was erected in 1952.

We had no idea what this was, and two local men who were passing by were kind enough to give us an explanation.  

This pillar played an instrumental part of the 1935 Ordnance Survey, which was designed to complete an accurate data point for mapping.  The base was made extra sturdy  in order to hold a theodolite absolutely level.  This way measurements could be made between pillars to establish height and distance, thereby adding data to the National Grid.  The men mentioned hat similar structures stand in various places all over Scotland, and they were used for map making and ordnance survey maps, of course. 

We found that to be quite fascinating and wondered if we might have seen some elsewhere, without knowing.  We both decided that in the future, we would keep our eyes peeled for others  while on our travels.

We then headed in the car, west, to check out the Castle Mey.

This castle was actually a summer home to the Queen Mother.  She purchased it for herself, after King George died.  She had been visiting friends in the area, desperately mourning the loss to her husband, when someone noted that the derelict castle was up for sale.  She returned to London and was encouraged by Winston Churchill to purchase the house as a distraction. At the time of purchase, the roof was on the verge of collapsing and there was no electricity or running water. 

It took three years to complete the repairs to the satisfaction of the Queen Mother, and she then began making visits every August and October, continuing until the age of 101.

We were able to tour the house, but no photos are permitted inside. We entered with 3 other couples and found ourselves being entertained by a female guide inside the door. 

The woman was the great granddaughter of one of the original owners of the castle, so she certainly had strong ties to the place.  But, what was even more fascinating was that her father had been hired as estate manager by the Queen Mother herself shortly after she bought the property.  The lands include a farm, and she wanted to continue the upkeep. 

This man, the manager, died, and the job passed onto the guide's husband.  She and her husband lived on a house on the estate, and she had two boys.  When they were teenagers, the husband/father died.   

The guide went on to tell us how frightened she had been at the time, because she was certain that the Queen Mother would not want a farm agent that was a teenage boy.  She fretted for months until the Queen Mother finally made her annual visit.  

The first thing that the Queen Mother did, was to tell the teenage boys, that she had watched them in the fields, and knew their capability.  She wanted them to act as co-agents.  They agreed, and the family was permitted to maintain the house on the grounds. 

She went on to say that the Queen Mother would often amble down to her house, and together they would watch horce racing on the television.  Sounds like it was great fun for both! 

The Queen Mother continued to visit her beloved Castle Mey until the age of 101, which had been her last time at her castle.  But it has passed down to her grandson, King Charles, who only just visited for a holiday himself last month.  Many had speculated that he would never visit again, but he showed up in August, just as his grandmama did for nearly 50 years.   Fortunately, he was out of residence by the time we arrived, or we would have missed viewing all of the interesting artifacts in the interior of the castle. 

On the grounds near the castle stands a walled garden which is filled with beautiful blossoms as well as herbs and plants that are used in the castle kitchen.  Walking around them was a real delight.

We treated ourselves to our favorite tea time treat:  Scones with clotted cream and jam.

Not only was it tasty, but the view made the perfect backdrop for our adventure. 

With our tummies full, we hopped back into the car and headed to Dunnet Head.

This is the official northernly point of the Scotland mainland. 

A beautiful lighthouse stands along the shore of the water at the head. 

There are many birds who nest in the cliffs, and we were entertained by watching them swoop in and out of the cliffs.  Had it been just a month ago, we would have seen Puffins.  But they are long gone now.  

And sometime within an hour, the outdoor temperatures dropped to what I would consider normal, so we pulled out the fleece and knitwear.  No complaints here!

We walked the hill to the elevation where we could have a 360 degree view, and what did I spot?  A triangulation pillar!

When I mentioned that we should seek them out, I never anticipated finding one so soon! That was certainly exciting!

That concluded our northern adventure, and we decided to stop in Thurso, at the Tesco, to pick up something that could easily be heated up in a microwave, for our dinner.  Yesterday, when we checked into our B&B, I was quite surprised to find that we were in the annex, which was a separate little structure, complete with a living room an kitchenette in addition to the bedroom. 

So, we decided to have our own cozy dinner in house rather than drive to a restaurant as there is nothing nearby within walking distance.  We found some delicious options and enjoyed a Scottish Cottage Pie, which consisted of a rich beef topped with a potato mash, and I chose Spinach Lasagna.  We added a veggie mix to complete our dinner.  And, for dessert, we each enjoyed a mini Cherry Almond Traybake. 

A lovely, relaxing meal with no hassle.  

Marty had discovered the amazing gardens in the back of the B&B, so I went out to see for myself, and was amazed at the vastness of the grounds, as well as the stunning beauty and variety of the blooms. Here are some photos for you to enjoy: 

Quite stunning, aren't they?

We've had a lovely, quiet stay here at the Auld Post Office B&B, and it's location was extremely convenient for our needs. Tomorrow we head out to make the trek along the eastern side of the NC500.  I see that rain is in the forecast with much cooler temperatures, but no worries.....we're up for the adventure!

Until tomorrow....