We awoke to another beautiful day. Temperature 8 degrees but soon rose to 20 degrees. There was fog over the Lock. This is where Loch Ness begins. We drove to the start of Loch Ness and watched the swing bridge open to allow boats, including a rescue boat to enter the lock to take them into the Caledonian canal.
From Fort Augustus we drove alongside the lock with the deep, dark mysterious waters of the Loch on one side and sheer cliffs on the other. The cliffs were covered with heather and other grasses but there were warnings about rock falls. Lock Ness is long and narrow - is over 200 m deep and flows from Fort Augustus to Dochgarroch – a distance of 23 miles. Didn’t see Nessie!!! Mick will be most disappointed.
Stopped at Urquart Castle for a look and meet some other Aussies who left Oz about the same time as us. Urquart Castle over looks Loch Ness and has been the subject of many battles and has been sacked, damaged and rebuilt over the centuries but is still in ruins today.
We continued north to Inverness and then on to Culloden – the scene of the 1746 battle between the Redcoats and the Jocobites under Bonnie Prince Charlie. This is the last battle on British soil. The Scots have built a really good historical centre here and after visiting the interactive museum, we waked the battle field with our own recording. Was very well done.
Just near there, we discovered the Clava Cairns, a group of stone cairns and circles dating from the Neolithic period (about 2000 years old). What amazed me was the fact that these ancient people could construct a vaulted roof of stone.
Very close by was another viaduct – Called the Nairn or Culloden Viaduct depending on what book you are reading. Jo reckons I have her conditioned to driving to find the best vantage point from which to take a photo!!!
We than had to find our way to Ballater. Got lost several times as I took the wrong road and so we had to find our way across country via many side roads!!! Was interesting. “Are we there yet? “ was a frequent question. The one good thing to come out of it is that we came across a Highland Cow! We have been looking for one to photograph since we got here. SOOOO into the farm we go and I found the owner and asked if it was okay to photograph the cows and he was on for a chat!!! He even got food and come down to the fence with us so that the cows would come close. He told us he was a true crofter and spoke a Scottish dialect. Anyway tomorrow, he will be a judge at the Highland Games so will catch up with him again.
We finally arrived in Ballater about 6.30 PM and found our cabin. It is quite cosy so Jo will be happy as a pig in mud tomorrow she can wash to her heart’s content. Mind you, she will have to finish before 10 AM as that is when Shona is collecting us for the Games.
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