Loch Ness

This morning I try and spot myself the elusive monster in Loch Ness. Sorry to tell you but I did not have any luck, Nessie is still hiding.



We made our way to Inverness looked around town and had a bite to eat for lunch. As we continued on our way we stopped at Clootie Well, where people tie their clothes or cloth/rags to trees as part of a healing ritual. It is thought that if you use a rag that's been dipped in the water from the well and then used to wash an affected part of the body and then hung up, as the rag disintegrates over time the ailment is supposed to fade away as well. It was a pretty funny sight seeing all these rags and people's clothing hanging up in the trees.

As we continue we take in teh surroundings of Dunrobin Castle, home of the Duke of Sutherland before we move stop at 'Whaligoe Steps' is a man-made stairway with 365 steps that descends to what was once a landing place for fishing boats. These steps date from the 19th century and were once used by fisherwomen to haul up the creels of herring landed at the harbour beneath. Crews of women, some in their early seventies, would gut the fish Herring, Cod, Haddock or Ling and carry them up the steps in baskets to be taken on foot to be sold in Wick, some 10 to 12 kms away.

Before we make our final stop this evening to catch the ferry to St Margarets Hope we visit Sinclair Girnigoe Castle.

With a late arrive at St Margarets Hope no cooking tonight, a pub dinner, a game of darts before heading off to bed.