Day 98 - Brora to Helmsdale

I decided to visit Dunrobin Castle as it hadn't beeen open all those years ago when we were in the area. To be honest, I was expecting it to be fairly interesting and pleasant and, indeed, the inside of the castle - huge 18 century portraits and tapestries along with massive rooms, antique furniture etc. -  and the  beautifully laid out gardens - giant rhubarb, parsley seeded in 1775 - leading down to the sea, certanly are. It had never occurred to me that ladies had inter-changeable, coloured parasol handles to match their outfits, a must in the 18th and 19th centuries, until I saw a collection of them today.

Dunrobin Castle Gardens

However, what made the visit exceptional was the falconry display. I've been to a couple of these in different places before and really only wandered down as I was in the garden and it was included in the price of the ticket!
The falconer was brilliant, explaining about each bird ( he showed 4 in action), how he trained them, exercised them, fed them (with chicken nuggets!) and all the while the birds were flying across the audience with their wings just missing heads and hats! There was one of the largest breed of owls in the world, an eagle owl, which was very obliging , letting people sit next to him and have photos taken!  A very entertaining 45 minutes.

Eagle Owl

From Bernie:
Today's walk  11.6 miles     :     Cumulative  1230.9 miles

A brilliantly-planned walk, cleverly slotted between heavy rain at either end of the day!

Began by walking the length of Brora golf-links: first beside the course, then through dunes & finally along the beach.
Here's another for you, David! A quote from Peter Thomson, to be found on a Town Trail Information Board near the Clubhouse declares it, "The purest links golf course in the world.... where golfers share a precious piece of territory with a hundred or so woolly sheep."
And cows.... and seals, I should add. Might not be as famous as Dornoch but I think the views are better. The hills & the beach are bigger, the course is wider... & quieter. Could make a good golfing weekend: Dornoch, Golspie & Brora - now that really would ruin a brilliant walk!

Brora Golf Links

Followed the beach as far as I dared on a rising tide before using a farmer's railway-crossing to reach the A9. Not as busy as I'd feared, perhaps people were staying at home in deference to the impending weather! Cloud had already rolled in from the sea & photographs would have been pointless but I did capture one of an interesting & unusual memorial placed close to the point where 'the last wolf in Sutherland' was killed by 'the hunter Polson... in or about the year 1700'.

Brora Beach

Highlight of the Day: thankfully I reached Helmsdale before the rain & in good enough visibility to visit & photograph one of the planned 'highlights' of the whole LeJog. Gerald Laing's 'Emigrants Statue' was unveiled in 2007, since our last visit, & stands above the town, close to Helmsdale's imposing war memorial & clock tower.
The 1st Duke of Sutherland may have hidden from us in Golspie but it can't be denied that his 'clearances' in this part of the Highlands were the most ruthless & are the most notorious. Helmsdale was Sutherland's patronising attempt to turn crofters & farmers into fishermen.... as an alternative to exile in America or the colonies: the sudden collapse of the herring boom made it Hobson's Choice for many.
100 'cleared' Highlanders from this part of Sutherland's estate sailed to Canada from here in 1813 & helped to found the city of Winnipeg, where a matching statue was unveiled in 2008.
Another 'Clearances' story tomorrow!

Emigrants Statue, Helmsdale

Ended the day back in Brora, ironically at 'The Sutherland Inn'! Spent an entertaining half hour chatting to an American gent, similar age to us, who is planning on kayaking from the Skerries (Shetland) to Bergen (Norway) in September! He's off to Orkney next week to begin final preparation for his 4-day trip & told us that he'd attempted the crossing a couple of times already but had had to turn back half-way when the wind & sea turned against him! Unbelievable!

Brilliant sculpture outside another old school, now an artist's studio, in Brora

He's for sale, & if he'd only fit in our back garden (or the van!) I'd have had him!

Visit buythiseagle.com if you're interested - I think he'd look good outside Alec Hunter!

Beer of the Day: just when I'd almost given up hope of finding any more draught ale! Had a pint of 'Red McGregor' from the Orkney Brewery which, I admit, I had sampled when we were on Orkney. A red, hoppy, sharp bitter - it's very good!

Song of the Day (an occasional series!): 'Kilkelly' by Mick Moloney, Jimmie Keane & Robbie O'Connell. A song based on letters exchanged between members of an Irish family who emigrated to America in the 19th century & some of those who chose to stay 'at home'. Impossible not to be moved by this.....
Google tells me there's a video on YouTube but my internet is too weak to check that!

6 days to go!
Things we're looking forward to doing when we get home (Walker): laying on the sofa with a good bottle of red wine & watching a whole day of Test Cricket!

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange