Scotland in 18 nights, smirr and sun and mud!
Oct 16th, 2017, 02:12 PM
#1
Original Poster
Scotland in 18 nights, smirr and sun and mud!
Please bear with me, this is my first crack at a trip report. I’ve had such wonderful information and advice from the Fodor’s community, I’m going to attempt to return the favour. I hope that I can give something useful back. Janisj and Gardyloo, if you check in here, thanks so much for very generously sharing your knowledge.
This was a trip to the Highlands, D&G, and Glasgow. I planned the route and made all reservations ahead of time. It worked out fairly well, but it was a lot of driving, much of it on single track roads. We could have used more time in every single location we stayed at. We did make sure to stop and take pictures or get out of the car and admire the view whenever we wanted, sometimes every few feet, as we were determined not to see Scotland through the car windows. Our next trip to Scotland will be more concentrated in one area.
We, myself and my travelling partner, driver, and DH, Jon, flew directly from Toronto to Glasgow, and we were on our way just after 1:00 pm.
We took the Clyde Tunnel towards Loch Lomond along the West side of the Loch. When it wasn’t raining, the views of the hills to the east were great. The hills became bigger, and the road windier the further north we went
.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for Jon to reacquaint himself with driving on the left. He never once forgot what lane he was in (yeah), and we were only beeped at twice during the entire trip for slow driving, so all in all, a successful driving experience!
At the top of Loch Lomond, we headed East, climbing the Cairngorms. We made a quick visit to the very scenic Falls of Dochart. Jon did his best to avoid the hordes of bus trippers wandering all over the bridge in the rain. It was a great test of his driving skills right out of the gate. He did all the driving and I was the navigator using our trusty paper map. It worked out well, except for the few days I was carsick due to the up and down and twisty roads, then he did double duty.
We made no other stops on our way to Aberfeldy, about 100 miles. Our B&B was great, and we had a very nice dinner at Three Lemons, and an early night.
It was, in retrospect, too much driving on the day we arrived. Jon is used to driving on arrival day, but this was a bit ambitious, even for him. We planned this as a driving trip, and the first night was just a waypoint, but once we got underway, there were things it would have been nice to see and do on the way to Aberfeldy, and to explore the town, if we had the time. Actually that became my refrain throughout the trip: “I wish we had more time to……”
This was a trip to the Highlands, D&G, and Glasgow. I planned the route and made all reservations ahead of time. It worked out fairly well, but it was a lot of driving, much of it on single track roads. We could have used more time in every single location we stayed at. We did make sure to stop and take pictures or get out of the car and admire the view whenever we wanted, sometimes every few feet, as we were determined not to see Scotland through the car windows. Our next trip to Scotland will be more concentrated in one area.
We, myself and my travelling partner, driver, and DH, Jon, flew directly from Toronto to Glasgow, and we were on our way just after 1:00 pm.
We took the Clyde Tunnel towards Loch Lomond along the West side of the Loch. When it wasn’t raining, the views of the hills to the east were great. The hills became bigger, and the road windier the further north we went
.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for Jon to reacquaint himself with driving on the left. He never once forgot what lane he was in (yeah), and we were only beeped at twice during the entire trip for slow driving, so all in all, a successful driving experience!
At the top of Loch Lomond, we headed East, climbing the Cairngorms. We made a quick visit to the very scenic Falls of Dochart. Jon did his best to avoid the hordes of bus trippers wandering all over the bridge in the rain. It was a great test of his driving skills right out of the gate. He did all the driving and I was the navigator using our trusty paper map. It worked out well, except for the few days I was carsick due to the up and down and twisty roads, then he did double duty.
We made no other stops on our way to Aberfeldy, about 100 miles. Our B&B was great, and we had a very nice dinner at Three Lemons, and an early night.
It was, in retrospect, too much driving on the day we arrived. Jon is used to driving on arrival day, but this was a bit ambitious, even for him. We planned this as a driving trip, and the first night was just a waypoint, but once we got underway, there were things it would have been nice to see and do on the way to Aberfeldy, and to explore the town, if we had the time. Actually that became my refrain throughout the trip: “I wish we had more time to……”
Oct 17th, 2017, 03:29 AM
#8
Original Poster
lol...not toooo ominous, not smirry enough to affect our plans...much.
We flew out Sept 11, arriving on thr 12th and returned Sept 30th, so last month.
I’ll be working on the next part this afternoon.
Thanks for checking in. As a first time trip reporter, I’m just getting into the swing of things, so it’s lovely to have such a good audience.
We flew out Sept 11, arriving on thr 12th and returned Sept 30th, so last month.
I’ll be working on the next part this afternoon.
Thanks for checking in. As a first time trip reporter, I’m just getting into the swing of things, so it’s lovely to have such a good audience.
Oct 17th, 2017, 02:36 PM
#11
Original Poster
Aberfeldy to Tain
After a great sleep, Jon tucked into his first of many (as in, every morning) Scottish breakfasts of the trip, and we were out of Balnearn B&B in reasonable time.
We stopped at Iain Burnett’s Chocolatier in Grandtully to inhale (in more ways than one…) his wonderful creations. If you like exceptional chocolate, then this is the place for you! Blood pudding and chocolate are not a natural combination, so depending on one's point of view, early morning is a good time to visit. It made for a more restrained shopping experience, although I did go back twice from the car to pick up more goodies. After one purchase you get a discount card, so I actually saved money by not buying everything at once. At least that was my argument. All, almost all, mind you, for gifts.
Then we headed on to the A9 to hit the House of Bruar. My 2DD’s loved the heather honey they ate all through our trip last year. I picked up 454 gram jars for them and us, plus marmalade for others on my list, one with scotch in it for Jon, and all my gift shopping was completed, save for a couple of small bottles of Scotch. I hate having “what am I going to buy” hanging over my head. We purchased a small glass piece (Caithness Glass – really striking and reasonably priced) to add to our own collection, and after tearing the driver away from the fly fishing department, we were on our way, but not before I had a good look at the women’s clothes. I really like the tweedy, loafer, DuBarry boot, quilted vest, waxed brimmed hat look, but it would look completely ridiculous in Toronto, so I saved a bunch of money by settling for a box of Highland Single Malt fudge.
We made a quick stop in Aviemore, an athletic looking town but utterly lacking in charm in the Cairngorms, where we shopped a few of the outdoor stores and had a wonderful lunch of white onion soup at the Old Bridge Inn. Despite the town being quite generic, the Old Bridge Inn was cozy and welcoming, full with regulars, cyclists and friendly dogs.
This was a long driving day, 155 miles, mostly highway, through the Killiecrankie Pass and over the Cairngorms, bypassing Inverness and crossing the Beauly Firth on the Kessock Bridge to the Black Isle, which actually isn’t an isle, but a peninsula. On the Black Isle, the plan was to stop at Fairy Glen at Rosemarkie, and do a short 2 mile walk featuring two waterfalls. However, we got to the parking area in time to see a weary looking man trudging out of the forest in full waterproofs, with a particularly bedraggled looking woman trailing along after him. It was still raining a bit, smirr actually, and we didn’t much see the point of getting out of the car and into the mud. Good thing too, as we drove along, the water was pooled in the fields. We had not brought our wellies, as it hadn’t occurred to us that slogging through a bog would be an activity that we would seek out, or would find an attractive alternative to pretty much anything. Little did we know what the future held…
Running out of time, there's a theme worryingly developing here, we did not get all the way to Cromarty, too bad, there’s a bakery there was rated in Scotland the Best by Peter Irvine (my new favourite book). Add Cromarty to the list for next time.
We cut across the peninsula and followed Cromarty Firth via the A9 to Tain, Scotland’s oldest burgh, where the sun was mercifully starting to shine. About 5:00 we pulled into our home for the next two nights, Golfview House B&B. It was another winner. Our room had big windows and a window seat that looked out at green fields with horses, a ruined church and the Dornoch Firth beyond. It was as pretty and bucolic a site as you can imagine.
So we started the day at 10:00 departing Aberfeldy; arrived at our destination in Tain at about 5:00 thus covering 155 miles in about seven hours. All and all a pretty comfortable day.
Tomorrow brings a very unsettling experience....
After a great sleep, Jon tucked into his first of many (as in, every morning) Scottish breakfasts of the trip, and we were out of Balnearn B&B in reasonable time.
We stopped at Iain Burnett’s Chocolatier in Grandtully to inhale (in more ways than one…) his wonderful creations. If you like exceptional chocolate, then this is the place for you! Blood pudding and chocolate are not a natural combination, so depending on one's point of view, early morning is a good time to visit. It made for a more restrained shopping experience, although I did go back twice from the car to pick up more goodies. After one purchase you get a discount card, so I actually saved money by not buying everything at once. At least that was my argument. All, almost all, mind you, for gifts.
Then we headed on to the A9 to hit the House of Bruar. My 2DD’s loved the heather honey they ate all through our trip last year. I picked up 454 gram jars for them and us, plus marmalade for others on my list, one with scotch in it for Jon, and all my gift shopping was completed, save for a couple of small bottles of Scotch. I hate having “what am I going to buy” hanging over my head. We purchased a small glass piece (Caithness Glass – really striking and reasonably priced) to add to our own collection, and after tearing the driver away from the fly fishing department, we were on our way, but not before I had a good look at the women’s clothes. I really like the tweedy, loafer, DuBarry boot, quilted vest, waxed brimmed hat look, but it would look completely ridiculous in Toronto, so I saved a bunch of money by settling for a box of Highland Single Malt fudge.
We made a quick stop in Aviemore, an athletic looking town but utterly lacking in charm in the Cairngorms, where we shopped a few of the outdoor stores and had a wonderful lunch of white onion soup at the Old Bridge Inn. Despite the town being quite generic, the Old Bridge Inn was cozy and welcoming, full with regulars, cyclists and friendly dogs.
This was a long driving day, 155 miles, mostly highway, through the Killiecrankie Pass and over the Cairngorms, bypassing Inverness and crossing the Beauly Firth on the Kessock Bridge to the Black Isle, which actually isn’t an isle, but a peninsula. On the Black Isle, the plan was to stop at Fairy Glen at Rosemarkie, and do a short 2 mile walk featuring two waterfalls. However, we got to the parking area in time to see a weary looking man trudging out of the forest in full waterproofs, with a particularly bedraggled looking woman trailing along after him. It was still raining a bit, smirr actually, and we didn’t much see the point of getting out of the car and into the mud. Good thing too, as we drove along, the water was pooled in the fields. We had not brought our wellies, as it hadn’t occurred to us that slogging through a bog would be an activity that we would seek out, or would find an attractive alternative to pretty much anything. Little did we know what the future held…
Running out of time, there's a theme worryingly developing here, we did not get all the way to Cromarty, too bad, there’s a bakery there was rated in Scotland the Best by Peter Irvine (my new favourite book). Add Cromarty to the list for next time.
We cut across the peninsula and followed Cromarty Firth via the A9 to Tain, Scotland’s oldest burgh, where the sun was mercifully starting to shine. About 5:00 we pulled into our home for the next two nights, Golfview House B&B. It was another winner. Our room had big windows and a window seat that looked out at green fields with horses, a ruined church and the Dornoch Firth beyond. It was as pretty and bucolic a site as you can imagine.
So we started the day at 10:00 departing Aberfeldy; arrived at our destination in Tain at about 5:00 thus covering 155 miles in about seven hours. All and all a pretty comfortable day.
Tomorrow brings a very unsettling experience....
Oct 17th, 2017, 03:25 PM
#12
>> Scotland the Best by Peter Irvine (my new favourite book)<<
Ditto that! It is just a fabulous resource.
>>Aviemore, an athletic looking town but utterly lacking in charm in the Cairngorms<< Ditto that too
My heart sinks a bit when we see prospective itineraries that include "Cairngorms/Aviemore, Inverness, Loch Ness". Some redeeming bits but about the most boring loop in the country.
>>Tomorrow brings a very unsettling experience….<<
Ooh -- a cliff hanger!
Ditto that! It is just a fabulous resource.
>>Aviemore, an athletic looking town but utterly lacking in charm in the Cairngorms<< Ditto that too
My heart sinks a bit when we see prospective itineraries that include "Cairngorms/Aviemore, Inverness, Loch Ness". Some redeeming bits but about the most boring loop in the country.>>Tomorrow brings a very unsettling experience….<<
Ooh -- a cliff hanger!
Oct 24th, 2017, 04:27 PM
#13
Original Poster
Tain
This morning we learned a meteorological phrase new to us – “patchy rain”. By the time we had the windshield wipers going the rain stopped, by the time we turned them off the drizzle started, repeat every two or three minutes. Same with the sunglasses, on/off, repeat. We were quickly learning not to be too dismayed to see a sky with no blue anywhere, nor to worry about the drizzle, as the sky would miraculously clear in seconds and reward us with blue everywhere. Only to start the cycle all over again. No pouring rain today, just patchy rain in the morning, clear, blue, glorious skies in the afternoon.
This was the day we were going to the one place I refused to miss in all of Scotland – Croick Church. In fact our entire route was planned around this. I didn’t care what else we missed, we were going there, come hell or high water.
It was a lovely drive along the A836 skirting the Firth of Dornoch, through Ardguy, then following the beautiful Carron River. We stopped at one point to enjoy the peace and the rushing river, and a fisherman happened along. He and five mates paid 6000GBP / week for a beat of river to fish for salmon. Only one side of the river, and accommodation not included.
I learned a little about the Highland Clearances before we went to Scotland last May. We learned more at the Culloden battlefield and superb Visitor’s Centre. A volunteer there told us about her recent family history, and how Scottish history was not taught to students until quite recently.
It was important to us that we go and see for ourselves where >>on 24th May, 1845 when 18 families – some 90 people – were cleared from their homes in Glencalvie in which they had lived for generations. Prior to their departure many took shelter in impoverished booths erected in the Croick churchyard and their wretched plight is recorded in messages scratched on the outside of the east window of the church.<<
We are the only ones at the church, and it begins to lightly drizzle. It’s impossible to adequately convey how lonely and sad and heartbreaking the churchyard is. We’re quiet as we read the inscriptions scratched into the windows.
It’s one thing to read facts, and to know something intellectually, but quite another to feel it. We were both more than a little unsettled by the experience of being there, and by the feelings we weren’t expecting. It’s such a brutal history, and to see a place where such brutality took place, one can’t help but really be touched by the misery.
Sigh, on we go, back to Dornoch, where Jon wanted to go to the golf course. I encouraged him to book an early round, but there was so much else to do in such a short amount of time, that he graciously was satisfied to buy a hat and wander around a bit. Nice hat, though!
Quick bite in Dornoch, quick walk around, and off again. A wrong turn out of Dornoch turns into a lucky break. We ended up driving Loch Fleet (between Dornoch and Golspie) with it’s wonderful wide tidal basin surrounded by sand dunes. The tide was out, the sky was blue, and the mudflats were alive with birds. The ruins of Skelbo Castle were on hill overlooking the Loch. A perfect spot to remind ourselves (actually me) that wrong turns are not really wrong, just an opportunity for happy surprises.
Then the decision was to do we visit Dunrobin Castle and gardens, or do we drive up to Helmsdale, a village built for communities cleared by the Countess of Sutherland, by the Countess, generous soul that she was. We opted for Helmsdale because of Timespan, a heritage centre that is combination museum, gallery space, book and craft shop and research centre. We were hoping to expand and deepen our understanding and knowledge of the historical times and the Clearances. Particularly since the Clearances are the reason this town exists. It was a disappointment. The museum, although interesting enough, was quite small, with nothing we hadn’t seen before. Reconstructions of a blacksmith, store, cottage, and tools. There was an area for anyone looking for family history, an art installation, a small book and craft area, and that’s about it. I don’t know what I was expecting, but maybe historic pictures and story boards at the least. The drive up and back along the sea was the best part.
We had time to scoot into the parking lot at Dunrobin and see the gardens from above, as well as walk through the gift shop and out the front door. Quite the pile in a stunning location. Add to the list of “next time”.
One more stop at Tain pottery to purchase two tartan (not plaid!!!) mugs, handmade and painted on the premises, dinner at a place in town that I swear rented rooms by the hour, and the end of another good, but busy and very satisfying day.
As it transpired, our visit to Croick Church was the absolute highlight of our trip. BC and AC, before Croick and after Croick. Everything else we saw or did, this we felt. That’s what I love about travel, wishing and being open to that moment, and recognizing it when it happens.
Distance: 117 miles
Next: Across the Highlands to Lochinver
This morning we learned a meteorological phrase new to us – “patchy rain”. By the time we had the windshield wipers going the rain stopped, by the time we turned them off the drizzle started, repeat every two or three minutes. Same with the sunglasses, on/off, repeat. We were quickly learning not to be too dismayed to see a sky with no blue anywhere, nor to worry about the drizzle, as the sky would miraculously clear in seconds and reward us with blue everywhere. Only to start the cycle all over again. No pouring rain today, just patchy rain in the morning, clear, blue, glorious skies in the afternoon.
This was the day we were going to the one place I refused to miss in all of Scotland – Croick Church. In fact our entire route was planned around this. I didn’t care what else we missed, we were going there, come hell or high water.
It was a lovely drive along the A836 skirting the Firth of Dornoch, through Ardguy, then following the beautiful Carron River. We stopped at one point to enjoy the peace and the rushing river, and a fisherman happened along. He and five mates paid 6000GBP / week for a beat of river to fish for salmon. Only one side of the river, and accommodation not included.
I learned a little about the Highland Clearances before we went to Scotland last May. We learned more at the Culloden battlefield and superb Visitor’s Centre. A volunteer there told us about her recent family history, and how Scottish history was not taught to students until quite recently.
It was important to us that we go and see for ourselves where >>on 24th May, 1845 when 18 families – some 90 people – were cleared from their homes in Glencalvie in which they had lived for generations. Prior to their departure many took shelter in impoverished booths erected in the Croick churchyard and their wretched plight is recorded in messages scratched on the outside of the east window of the church.<<
We are the only ones at the church, and it begins to lightly drizzle. It’s impossible to adequately convey how lonely and sad and heartbreaking the churchyard is. We’re quiet as we read the inscriptions scratched into the windows.
It’s one thing to read facts, and to know something intellectually, but quite another to feel it. We were both more than a little unsettled by the experience of being there, and by the feelings we weren’t expecting. It’s such a brutal history, and to see a place where such brutality took place, one can’t help but really be touched by the misery.
Sigh, on we go, back to Dornoch, where Jon wanted to go to the golf course. I encouraged him to book an early round, but there was so much else to do in such a short amount of time, that he graciously was satisfied to buy a hat and wander around a bit. Nice hat, though!
Quick bite in Dornoch, quick walk around, and off again. A wrong turn out of Dornoch turns into a lucky break. We ended up driving Loch Fleet (between Dornoch and Golspie) with it’s wonderful wide tidal basin surrounded by sand dunes. The tide was out, the sky was blue, and the mudflats were alive with birds. The ruins of Skelbo Castle were on hill overlooking the Loch. A perfect spot to remind ourselves (actually me) that wrong turns are not really wrong, just an opportunity for happy surprises.
Then the decision was to do we visit Dunrobin Castle and gardens, or do we drive up to Helmsdale, a village built for communities cleared by the Countess of Sutherland, by the Countess, generous soul that she was. We opted for Helmsdale because of Timespan, a heritage centre that is combination museum, gallery space, book and craft shop and research centre. We were hoping to expand and deepen our understanding and knowledge of the historical times and the Clearances. Particularly since the Clearances are the reason this town exists. It was a disappointment. The museum, although interesting enough, was quite small, with nothing we hadn’t seen before. Reconstructions of a blacksmith, store, cottage, and tools. There was an area for anyone looking for family history, an art installation, a small book and craft area, and that’s about it. I don’t know what I was expecting, but maybe historic pictures and story boards at the least. The drive up and back along the sea was the best part.
We had time to scoot into the parking lot at Dunrobin and see the gardens from above, as well as walk through the gift shop and out the front door. Quite the pile in a stunning location. Add to the list of “next time”.
One more stop at Tain pottery to purchase two tartan (not plaid!!!) mugs, handmade and painted on the premises, dinner at a place in town that I swear rented rooms by the hour, and the end of another good, but busy and very satisfying day.
As it transpired, our visit to Croick Church was the absolute highlight of our trip. BC and AC, before Croick and after Croick. Everything else we saw or did, this we felt. That’s what I love about travel, wishing and being open to that moment, and recognizing it when it happens.
Distance: 117 miles
Next: Across the Highlands to Lochinver
Oct 25th, 2017, 05:08 AM
#14
I'm going to butt in on this splendid trip report to talk for a minute around Croick, the Clearances, and the aftermath, and how (some) local people look back on these events. Forgive me if this is not strictly travel-related, but the Highlands wear their social history as prominently as their mountains and lochs. Inescapable.
Years ago I did a student project dealing with the environment and economy of the Dornoch Firth area. In the course of this work (which spanned most of a year) I spoke to a number of local people, from crofters (of which there are very few remaining) up to local lairds and estate owners and factors (managers.)
The Clearances would inevitably come up, and the emotions and views the locals held on the subject was revealing. One landowner (a retired English military officer whose rank at retirement bespoke an mediocre career) sat in my and a colleague's company, and that of a neighboring estate's factor (a local) and with a straight face told me that the Clearances had left the local gene pool too shallow to expect any social advancement. It was the old "those with get up and go got up and went" argument, never mind they went with armed guards as they were relocated to Brora or Golspie or Glasgow or Belfast or North America.
Many people don't know that much of the Highland landscapes that they find so romantic and barren/beautiful is largely man-made, or more specifically, sheep-made. The Clearances were undertaken at a time (the Industrial Revolution) when there was a huge demand for wool for the mills. The Highlands had been a cattle-based economy, but the demand was for wool. Sheep require far, far less management than cattle; a given acreage can support many more sheep, and the number of people needed to manage sheep farms is far fewer than with cattle. Following the 1745 rising the former clan lands were divided up and repackaged as vast estates (e.g. Balmoral) the majority of which were given over to sheep rearing. The native population was surplus to the labo(u)r needs of the owners, so they were cleared.
The thing is, sheep eat <i>everything</i>, down to the roots, something cattle can't manage because of the shapes of their mouths. Sheep eat everything that grows, including young tree shoots, and since they're free-ranging, over time the land shows it - no trees, few low shrubs aside from heather and whin/gorse/broom... presto, bare hills.
So after the Clearances, the introduction of sheep reduced the population dramatically. This was followed by many of the estates diversifying into fishing and hunting grounds, evidence the fishermen the OP encountered. Again, this requires very few workers, and the big money flows into the estate owners' pockets to this day.
With all the attention paid to <i>Outlander</i> and the events of the 1745 rising and aftermath, I hope a bright light will be shone on the Clearances and the impact they've had on both the physical and social environment one sees in today's Scotland, even 250 years later.
Sorry for the intrusion but I just had to.
For those interested, pictures -
Croick Church - http://gardyloo.us/wp-content/upload...30614_63Hs.jpg and http://gardyloo.us/wp-content/upload...130614_25s.jpg
Local estate - http://gardyloo.us/wp-content/upload...30614_90Hs.jpg
Years ago I did a student project dealing with the environment and economy of the Dornoch Firth area. In the course of this work (which spanned most of a year) I spoke to a number of local people, from crofters (of which there are very few remaining) up to local lairds and estate owners and factors (managers.)
The Clearances would inevitably come up, and the emotions and views the locals held on the subject was revealing. One landowner (a retired English military officer whose rank at retirement bespoke an mediocre career) sat in my and a colleague's company, and that of a neighboring estate's factor (a local) and with a straight face told me that the Clearances had left the local gene pool too shallow to expect any social advancement. It was the old "those with get up and go got up and went" argument, never mind they went with armed guards as they were relocated to Brora or Golspie or Glasgow or Belfast or North America.
Many people don't know that much of the Highland landscapes that they find so romantic and barren/beautiful is largely man-made, or more specifically, sheep-made. The Clearances were undertaken at a time (the Industrial Revolution) when there was a huge demand for wool for the mills. The Highlands had been a cattle-based economy, but the demand was for wool. Sheep require far, far less management than cattle; a given acreage can support many more sheep, and the number of people needed to manage sheep farms is far fewer than with cattle. Following the 1745 rising the former clan lands were divided up and repackaged as vast estates (e.g. Balmoral) the majority of which were given over to sheep rearing. The native population was surplus to the labo(u)r needs of the owners, so they were cleared.
The thing is, sheep eat <i>everything</i>, down to the roots, something cattle can't manage because of the shapes of their mouths. Sheep eat everything that grows, including young tree shoots, and since they're free-ranging, over time the land shows it - no trees, few low shrubs aside from heather and whin/gorse/broom... presto, bare hills.
So after the Clearances, the introduction of sheep reduced the population dramatically. This was followed by many of the estates diversifying into fishing and hunting grounds, evidence the fishermen the OP encountered. Again, this requires very few workers, and the big money flows into the estate owners' pockets to this day.
With all the attention paid to <i>Outlander</i> and the events of the 1745 rising and aftermath, I hope a bright light will be shone on the Clearances and the impact they've had on both the physical and social environment one sees in today's Scotland, even 250 years later.
Sorry for the intrusion but I just had to.
For those interested, pictures -
Croick Church - http://gardyloo.us/wp-content/upload...30614_63Hs.jpg and http://gardyloo.us/wp-content/upload...130614_25s.jpg
Local estate - http://gardyloo.us/wp-content/upload...30614_90Hs.jpg
Oct 25th, 2017, 08:15 AM
#15
Great info Gardyloo. I do have a twinge whenever I see some one recommending visiting Dunrobin Castle thinking it is just a pretty castle w/ a pretty garden. All sunshine and rainbows - not.
Sugarmaple: Now I understand. By 'unsettling' you meant deeply felt. I agree.
Sugarmaple: Now I understand. By 'unsettling' you meant deeply felt. I agree.
Oct 25th, 2017, 09:40 AM
#16
Original Poster
Butting in is most welcome!
I freely admit to being one of those who finds the barrenness beautiful. Jon, who is a science geographer by trade and avocation, was constantly reminding me that what we were looking at is not a natural landscape. “Look at the sheep all over the place, they’re eating everything including the roots and shoots”
I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to find out how the highlands looked before the sheep. Are the moors that we slogged through natural, is the heather all over the mountains naturally occurring or hugely expanded due to sheep? In the further north, what would the landscape look like? Lewis and Harris, was it always peat bog?
I heard the end of an interview with an English scientist talking about the moors in England, how everyone loves them, but what an unnatural environment they are. Are there any natural environments left anywhere?
I have a picture of that Strathcarron estate as well. My fisherman friend told me he knew an owner of that property, who needed money and sold off the fishing rights. He said the value is in the fishing, and the owner now cannot fish in the river outside his estate without paying.
I really found it troubling to chat with my plummy friend just before arriving at the melancholy church, especially since his wife is related to the current Duke by marriage. I just couldn’t help thinking this is from the sublime to the ridiculous.
janis, it’s impossible to know even a bit about the Clearances and the Sutherland’s part in it, and see not Dunrobin in a different light. A couple of people we spoke to had their own views on the Duke’s statue, sitting high up on a hill. Not positive.
Even though Timespan didn’t live up to our expectations, it didn’t seem right to leave Strathcarron and waltz over to the Sutherland’s.
It’s such a fascinating history and geography.
I freely admit to being one of those who finds the barrenness beautiful. Jon, who is a science geographer by trade and avocation, was constantly reminding me that what we were looking at is not a natural landscape. “Look at the sheep all over the place, they’re eating everything including the roots and shoots”
I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to find out how the highlands looked before the sheep. Are the moors that we slogged through natural, is the heather all over the mountains naturally occurring or hugely expanded due to sheep? In the further north, what would the landscape look like? Lewis and Harris, was it always peat bog?
I heard the end of an interview with an English scientist talking about the moors in England, how everyone loves them, but what an unnatural environment they are. Are there any natural environments left anywhere?
I have a picture of that Strathcarron estate as well. My fisherman friend told me he knew an owner of that property, who needed money and sold off the fishing rights. He said the value is in the fishing, and the owner now cannot fish in the river outside his estate without paying.
I really found it troubling to chat with my plummy friend just before arriving at the melancholy church, especially since his wife is related to the current Duke by marriage. I just couldn’t help thinking this is from the sublime to the ridiculous.
janis, it’s impossible to know even a bit about the Clearances and the Sutherland’s part in it, and see not Dunrobin in a different light. A couple of people we spoke to had their own views on the Duke’s statue, sitting high up on a hill. Not positive.
Even though Timespan didn’t live up to our expectations, it didn’t seem right to leave Strathcarron and waltz over to the Sutherland’s.
It’s such a fascinating history and geography.
Oct 25th, 2017, 11:21 AM
#17
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The clearances have been viewed as a dim period of our history and those of a liberal persuasion tend to view them as some form of local ethnic cleansing.
In my view, they had to happen.
They were a function of political and economic instability which probably stemmed from the English civil war and the resulting end of the rule of Cromwell and culminated in the Battle of Culloden.
We had always looked at England with growing envy and as their wealth grew exponentially with the development of the colonies in America. We were still trying to farm cattle on land which was absolutely unsuitable for that purpose.
After the turn of the c18th, we invested around 40% of our GDP in a scheme which was before it's time. We effectively tried to colonise Panama and start to build the canal.
It failed.
Miserably.
This left Scotland with no option but to enter into the Treaty of the Union with England and move which alienated many of the highland clans. With crippled economy and having lost the Battle of Culloden, the Highland clan's power base had been wiped out. There were still large population living under the clan system, their existence was diabolical, they faced economic hardship at every turn with the loss of the seaweed market and the potato famine. Things had to change.
The demand was for wool and farming had to be on an extensive scale.
The Clearences transferred populations to cities to feed the labour market of the industrial revolution and transported many families to America, Canada and Australia. Many of these families suffered hardship in the New World but many applied the Scottish approach to hard work and endeavour and succeeded.
In simple terms the economic situation in Scotland prior to 1750 couldn't continue, something had to change.
It's also worth noting that post the Battle of Culloden, huge numbers of the Highlanders were enrolled into the British army and formed a large base of the Georgian war machine which built the British Empire.
Gardyloo
It's interesting to hear your experience with current Highlanders and how they view this period of our history. I know many in Glasgow whose families were forced to leave the Highlands, many still still hold their clan surname. Many have been hugely successful over the past 50 years and have enjoyed the sort of social mobility that their Grandfathers could not have experienced in their dreams.
By stark contrast, many of the old land owning families of both the Lowland and Highlands have been decimated, many have sold off their holdings or faced bankruptcy. As a deep irony, it is the new money of Glasgow and Edinburgh which is now buying those Estates as weekend playgrounds.
In my view, they had to happen.
They were a function of political and economic instability which probably stemmed from the English civil war and the resulting end of the rule of Cromwell and culminated in the Battle of Culloden.
We had always looked at England with growing envy and as their wealth grew exponentially with the development of the colonies in America. We were still trying to farm cattle on land which was absolutely unsuitable for that purpose.
After the turn of the c18th, we invested around 40% of our GDP in a scheme which was before it's time. We effectively tried to colonise Panama and start to build the canal.
It failed.
Miserably.
This left Scotland with no option but to enter into the Treaty of the Union with England and move which alienated many of the highland clans. With crippled economy and having lost the Battle of Culloden, the Highland clan's power base had been wiped out. There were still large population living under the clan system, their existence was diabolical, they faced economic hardship at every turn with the loss of the seaweed market and the potato famine. Things had to change.
The demand was for wool and farming had to be on an extensive scale.
The Clearences transferred populations to cities to feed the labour market of the industrial revolution and transported many families to America, Canada and Australia. Many of these families suffered hardship in the New World but many applied the Scottish approach to hard work and endeavour and succeeded.
In simple terms the economic situation in Scotland prior to 1750 couldn't continue, something had to change.
It's also worth noting that post the Battle of Culloden, huge numbers of the Highlanders were enrolled into the British army and formed a large base of the Georgian war machine which built the British Empire.
Gardyloo
It's interesting to hear your experience with current Highlanders and how they view this period of our history. I know many in Glasgow whose families were forced to leave the Highlands, many still still hold their clan surname. Many have been hugely successful over the past 50 years and have enjoyed the sort of social mobility that their Grandfathers could not have experienced in their dreams.
By stark contrast, many of the old land owning families of both the Lowland and Highlands have been decimated, many have sold off their holdings or faced bankruptcy. As a deep irony, it is the new money of Glasgow and Edinburgh which is now buying those Estates as weekend playgrounds.
Oct 25th, 2017, 11:23 AM
#18
<i>I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to find out how the highlands looked before the sheep. Are the moors that we slogged through natural, is the heather all over the mountains naturally occurring or hugely expanded due to sheep? In the further north, what would the landscape look like? Lewis and Harris, was it always peat bog?</i>
The deforestation of Scotland was basically a two-part process, taking place over several centuries. In Roman times, the Caledonian Forest - mainly conifers and some hardwoods, particularly along the west coast, covered much of the land, not terribly dissimilar to southern Norway or, in fact, parts of the northern Pacific coast - Washington and BC. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Forest
The first wave of deforestation involved burning wood for fires and some construction, but the big hit was due to shipbuilding. The <i>Great Michael,</i> the biggest Scottish warship at the time of the Union, allegedly stripped all of Fife for timbers for construction. Oak, which was used extensively for shipbuilding, virtually disappeared from Scotland (and much of England, for that matter) for building ships, mainly warships. Other wood sources were used for metal smelting as well as for construction. http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_P/0_pa...o_newhaven.jpg
Then came the sheep, which pretty well zapped the rest of the trees.
You can see some "native" forest bits here and there, mainly for stands of Scots Pine (a beautiful tree) in various parts of the country. It's hard to imagine the whole of Scotland forested. Here's a guide if interested: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news...rests/0012621/
As for peat bogs, while these occur naturally in areas of heavy rainfall and saturated ground, most of them are simply compressed layers of heather and ground cover that gets compacted and soggy because of impermeable rock beneath. Eventually it turns into brown coal. Places like Shetland and the Hebrides have both "natural" bogs and moors as well as those brought on by deforestation and sheep.
Probably TMI, but I find it fascinating.
The deforestation of Scotland was basically a two-part process, taking place over several centuries. In Roman times, the Caledonian Forest - mainly conifers and some hardwoods, particularly along the west coast, covered much of the land, not terribly dissimilar to southern Norway or, in fact, parts of the northern Pacific coast - Washington and BC. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Forest
The first wave of deforestation involved burning wood for fires and some construction, but the big hit was due to shipbuilding. The <i>Great Michael,</i> the biggest Scottish warship at the time of the Union, allegedly stripped all of Fife for timbers for construction. Oak, which was used extensively for shipbuilding, virtually disappeared from Scotland (and much of England, for that matter) for building ships, mainly warships. Other wood sources were used for metal smelting as well as for construction. http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_P/0_pa...o_newhaven.jpg
Then came the sheep, which pretty well zapped the rest of the trees.
You can see some "native" forest bits here and there, mainly for stands of Scots Pine (a beautiful tree) in various parts of the country. It's hard to imagine the whole of Scotland forested. Here's a guide if interested: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news...rests/0012621/
As for peat bogs, while these occur naturally in areas of heavy rainfall and saturated ground, most of them are simply compressed layers of heather and ground cover that gets compacted and soggy because of impermeable rock beneath. Eventually it turns into brown coal. Places like Shetland and the Hebrides have both "natural" bogs and moors as well as those brought on by deforestation and sheep.
Probably TMI, but I find it fascinating.
Oct 25th, 2017, 11:54 AM
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It's an interesting point.
The National Trust have recently been bequeathed large tracts land in our area mainly from both then McClellan and McCloud families. Some of that land was originally gifted to those families by Robert Bruce.
Over the past 200 years the land has been extensively sheep farmed and as such has afforded us all in the village wonderful sea views.
The NTS in their wisdom have thrown out the sheep farmers, as a modern day clearance and have started a large scale project to replace the farmed fields with spruce and larch which they claim would have been the ancient landscape.
The end result being are sea views are starting to disappear and the NTS have lost a lot of members in our area.
The National Trust have recently been bequeathed large tracts land in our area mainly from both then McClellan and McCloud families. Some of that land was originally gifted to those families by Robert Bruce.
Over the past 200 years the land has been extensively sheep farmed and as such has afforded us all in the village wonderful sea views.
The NTS in their wisdom have thrown out the sheep farmers, as a modern day clearance and have started a large scale project to replace the farmed fields with spruce and larch which they claim would have been the ancient landscape.
The end result being are sea views are starting to disappear and the NTS have lost a lot of members in our area.
