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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