In search of the Highlands: Day 1

Departing from Edinburgh, arriving to Inverness

Culloden battlefield

National Wallace Monument, Stirling (36,4 miles -57 min- M9)

On the summit of Abbey Craig is the commemorative tower to William Wallace, the infamous 13th century Scottish hero. The tower overlooks the scene of Scotland’s victory at The Battle of Stirling Bridge. Getting inside the tower is £7.50, but you can walk around the surrounding area for free. The viewpoints around offer a not particularly amazing views, it is only when you take into account the history of the place when you cannot help but shiver. 

Dunkeld cathedral, Pertshire (45,5 miles – 1 hour –A90)

Located on the bank of the river Tay on one side and having wooded hills on the other, Dunkeld cathedral’s is located in a privilege site.  The construction of the present building took place between 1315 and 1501. Early in the 9th century, Kenneth MacAlpin, first King of Scotland, built a stone church to house the relics of St. Columba. Under King David I the cathedral became the centre of Christianity in Scotland. The tower, dating from the 15th century, is still standing.  Currently half of the cathedral is in ruins but the other half is used as a church. Its admission free policy allows the traveler to explore the interior of the building and also the picturesque ruins.  The violent Battle between the Jacobites and the Cameroians, in 1689, burned most of the town to the ground. Today some of the buildings in the centre are reminders of a glorious past era in which trading was the main activity. Locals assure that tourists go there even during the winter, when the views of the cathedral are even more spectacular. 

Dunkeld cathedral ruins

If the day is sunny, consider a walk by the bank of the river and take a little extra time to explore Birnam, made famous by Shakespeare’s Macbeth and less than a mile away from Dunkeld, in the opposite bank of the river Tay.

*Suggestion:  the next stop is a great one for having an open-air lunch, so if you feel like having a picnic, grab some lunch in Dunkeld.

Ruthven Barracks, Pertshire (58,5 miles, - 1 hour 9 minutes –A9)

Clearly visible from the A9 road, the Ruthven Barracks is one of the four fortified barracks that the British government built after the 1715 Jacobite rebellion.  A few days after the Battle of Culloden (check next stop), around 1500 Jacobite soldiers gathered at the then Fort Ruthven to continue the fight started at Culloden. After they received a message from Prince Charles saying basically “every man for himself”, the Jacobites set fire to the barracks and dispersed, aiming to avoid the government forces. The remains of the barracks today are open 24 hours and admission free. Despite there is little left of the interior structure, floors or roofs, the exterior walls remain practically as they were when the Jacobites left the site in April 1746.

Clava Cairns (43 miles – 53 minutes – A9)

Only a mile to the south east of the Culloden battlefield, the Clava Cairns evoked a much more distant past.  Believed to be built around 2000BC, this well-preserved group of burial cairns is part of a line of seven, which are spread around the southern part of the river Nairn valley. 

While most of the tourists go directly to Culloden battlefield, the tranquility of this off the beaten track location is an invitation to reflection.

Clava Cairns

Culloden battlefield (1, 4 miles – 4 minutes –B9006)

In this land the aspirations of the Jacobites faded away in only 68 minutes in 1746. Despite of being short, the battle was an especially bloody one. The government army numbered over 7500 and the Jacobites around 5500, it was the last pitched battle fought in British soil. Before getting into the battlefield, an inscription reads “Our blood is still our fathers, and ours the valour of their hearts”.

Loch Ness (18, 4 miles- 34 min. B852 and B862)

In spite of being a trite spot, by going to the Loch Ness one can understand how much Highlanders love mysticism and legends. Home for the elusive monster Nessie, the Loch stretches for 23 miles between Inverness and Fort August and it is 812 feet at its deepest point. Its freshwater –it contains more freshwater than all the lakes in England and Wales together- might look appealing in a sunny day, but don’t expect anything other than freezing cold water. If you do dare to get in, be aware of the rocky floor, it becomes very slippery once you go into the water. 

Loch Ness

The first traces of Nessie date back from the 7th century, when Adomnán wrote “Life of St. Columba”. The supporters think that the Loch Ness monster is a surviving creature of a line of plesiosaurs. However, the credibility of the myth was severely spoiled when Stirling confessed that the 1934 “Surgeon’s Photograph” was a hoax story. 

The hand-made figures that a young man sells in the south shore of the infamous Loch are among the best Nessie’s souvenirs.  

A pint in Inverness (13,4 miles  -23 min.- B852 and B862)

The main city of the Highlands, Inverness is a warm city for travelers, being very easy to meet locals at the city centre pubs. If in doubt, go to the Hootananny (67 Church Street, Inverness, Inverness-Shire IV1 1ES, United Kingdom), fair prices and a great atmosphere with live music, mainly folk, every night. The pub is only ten minutes away from the Inverness castle, which tops the hill above the city centre, overlooking the river Ness. Dating from 1836, the former castle serves today as the Sheriff’s Court. On the other side of the river it is St. Andrew cathedral.