We took our time leaving Craig and Shona's. Sadly Craig had a camp in (its Teen Ranch) and he was occupied full time with the camp. We had a lovely morning tea with Shona who set a table outside in the garden, with the Aussie flag as the table cloth! It was quite a touch for our little farewell from Kilravock Castle.
It was actually a beautiful day - the sky was blue and the sun was shining. We left with our coats on because it was a bit 'nippy' but that lasted a few k and off they came for the entire ride. We left with dense forest on both sides as we cycled down the long country road from Clephanton (where the Castle is) towards Inverness, past Croy. We stopped at the incredible sight of what turned out to be the Culloden Viaduct - a massive Roman looking construction that was the long and high train bridge across the River Nairn valley. It stood hundreds of feet high, with very long arched stone legs reaching all the way down into the valey - a sight to behold.
Then we came to the famous Battlefield of Culloden, where in 1746 the Jacobite forces loyal to Bonnie Prince Charles of Scotland (who was making claims to the Kingship of both Scotland and England, after his grandfather James - a Catholic King - was was exiled by William of Orange (a Protestant and married to James daughter!), and sought exile in France. Bonnie Prince Charles was referred to as the 'young Pretender', his father - born to James just before William intervened - was always the 'old Pretender - meaning he had aspirations to the throne. 'Jacobite' comes from 'jacubus' - or James - they were loyalists to the Catholioc James (now dead) and massed on the Moor of Culloden against the far superior and vastly biiger numbers of the English (Government forces headed by the nasty Duke of Cumberland.
The result is history. The Jacobites were entirely Scots, and mostly Highlanders and almost entirely Catholic - so this was more a battle with religious overtones than a territorial one. England had Scots fighting for them - from the lowlands but who were Protestant sympathisers. Thats at least my understanding of it. It was a slaughter - the 'Scots' were beaten severely, and the cruelty of the Duke's forces extended beyond the battle to the Highland villages around. It was the final battle on English soil.
The Battle field is a wide open moor - I suppose the sad moment was when Julie found the burial site for the Stewart Clan who fought with Bonnie Prince Charlie - they came and fought as an entire clan, and were probably decimated. There is a single headstone where all the Stewarts both fell, died and are buried on the battlefield. It was a sensitive moment to say the least, but a precious and valuable one nevertheless.
We left on our bikes with the views down across the Moray Firth just opening up and stunning. We could see all of Inverness, the bridge spanning the Firth, with Moray Firth on the east and Beauly Firth to the west. We would be riding the bridge. The sunshine makes such a difference to Scotland. We saw it today in all its colour and beauty. The beauty stretched to the Highlands (we are officially in the Highlands, but still on the coast). We could see the massive peaks of Ben Wyvis (3200ft) and Little Wyvis (2200ft) giving the beautiful backdrop to the vuillage of Evanton, our destination on the northern coast of the Cromarty Firth.
We stopped for groceries in Inverness then attacked the bridge. The sights from the bridge both east and west were stunning. We came off on the Black Isle - a tongue of land that separates the Firth of Moray and Cromarty - it is some 20k wide, and rises for several miles keeping us in low gears but not troubled, then it peaks and opens up the most dramatic scenery of the northern Highlands of Scotland, the villages along the northern side of the Firth, another long bridge to cross, and the road north into some 'tall timber'.
We met two cyclists on the bridge - a father and son doing the 'End to End'. They were amazed at the load on our bikes - they were doing B&B - but they didn't ride any faster than us. As they turned north and with us just behind, a massive truck smashed into the rear of a car that was just passing the son. It was an incredibly near miss, and a very unhappy car driver.
We came into a most beautiful caravan park set beside the River Glass at the tiny village of Evanton. The large and dark forests up the huge hills behind Evanton were the scenes for the movies of Harry Potter - so when you see the sinister forests etc - it was just up behind our camping spot.
It was a great sunny day. We were hot when we arrived, and the tent got hot as we set it up - all a new sensation for us after 5 weeks of camping! However, overnight it rained again, and we had breakfast in the tent with the rain falling outside. I am in the village now, all packed for the big trip to Lairg today, at the local Church Cafe/worship centre. This is a Godly place and we are taking time to enjoy.
We heard the news from home this morning that our wonderful friend of almost our entire life time has passed away a few hours ago. David MacDonald has been a close friend since teenage years, he and I were competative athletes on the Canberra scene all those years ago. He was an extremely gifted soccer player, a gutsy long distance athlete, and a close friend who was a groomsman at our wedding. We lost touch for a lot of years, but since we moved to Sydney, we have renewed our friendship. David learned that he had serious cancer just months ago, and asked if I would conduct his funeral. Well, I am so sorry David. He wanted to hang out until I got home - he was brave and courageous, accepting his condition, and apparently said from his hospital bed this week that he wasn't going yet, until Kelvin gets home. He leaves a lovely partner in Sue, and two of the best of young adult children in Karena and Ben. Our thoughts are with his family. He was 'poppy' to his granchildren - all of whom loved him dearly and will greatly miss him. Before I left I shared with David the verse from Scripture - 'The Lord is MY Shepherd', who knows him by name and into whose hands we entrust him completely.
Until next time - Kelvin and Julie
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