Raven's Roads
Living an interesting life: the travels and musings
of motorcycling author Linda R. Moore

Sep 24, 2005

24th September: Beauly

Filed in Britain 2005 (2), Landmark-Hunting, Travel

This morning we went to Beauly. I wanted to get souvenirs and gifts, but first we called in at the info centre/gift shop and took a look around the visitor centre museum. It was really cool: lots of genealogical stuff about the Frasers and the Lovats, but also photographs, stuff about the McKenzie exploration of Canada, a weaving room, and a room
decked out like an old-fashioned shop. It was hands-on too!

Then we took a brief look inside Beauly Priory again, it was just as beautiful as ever.

Then we visited Made in Scotland, repository of gift items but not the ones I wanted; and then we called in the farm shop on the way back, where multiple chickens chased me. Well, ok, they just came running when I looked over the fence. There were a lot of chickens.

There was also a fun hay bale man.

We came home and saw lovely views of golden hillsides with bales, so here is a picture to show you what it is like on the Black Isle. The isle is so-called because of the very dark, very fertile soil, which you can’t see because it’s covered in golden hay and bales. The small town in the distance is Dingwall.

Then we came home for sausage casserole. Mmm, sausage casserole! I am being well fed!

In the afternoon we went to Drumnadrochit, where I got the gifts I was looking for. We normally only stop there for “the facilities”, but we found out it was a nice, attractive village. Oh, and we were held up earlier because the Caledonian Canal was letting a boat through and the swing bridge needed to swing open. A poor Japanese tourist sprinted to the gate when he realised what was going on, and just missing his shot.

From DD, which is near Loch Ness, we headed up the road to Corrimony Cairn which is an ancient burial mound, where I crawled around in absolute bliss. My fascination with these has gone on for years and one of the first memories I have of historic buildings was crawling around in one of these when I was eight or so.

It looks like I never stopped, eh?

After that we went for a drive through the moorlands and it was bleak and pretty and wonderful. :-)

Now I am at home, getting ready for the end of the day, feeling tired.