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

Sep 26, 2005

It’s Monday, so it must be Cromarty

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

Sunday was a family day. Sunday dinner, then tea with the entire clan. Fun, but not part of this travelogue.

This morning Dad and I went down to Cromarty. The weather is not being kind, so longer trips seem pointless. It does make for some interesting, gunpowder skies, though, and pretty rainbows.

I took multiple pictures of signs and old buildings, and we visited the Old Courthouse. It has odd animated dummies who tell stories of the past and are moderately creepy. Also, this is not an exhibit for the allergic. The dummies are made from latex, and the entire place is having trouble with damp/mould. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting place which is dripping with history.

We walked a few of the little old fishing streets and enjoyed the view. Then came back for lunch. Then in the afternoon we all three went back and this time visited the Hugh Miller House and Cottage. The cottage was where he was born and the house was where he and his wife and family eventually lived. He was a famous author, editor and geologist and I liked the portrayal of him as a down to earth, intelligent fellow who met a tragic end.

The cottage was brilliant. The doorways were lower than 5′ tall and built by Miller’s great-grandfather. It was small and cosy and made me want to live there. Wood floors, creaky nooks and crannies. Great stuff.

Afterwards we took a quick run down to Dingwall, then visited Annie, one of my parents’ friends. She is 90-odd and grew up in a different world, of which she remembers a great deal, which means that her stories are great fun. She put on a whole spread of afternoon tea so we tucked into that, then at home tucked into dinner. As a result, I can currently not move without rolling. Everyone around here cooks way too well.