Na rathaidean fada, lùbach tro Chuimrigh agus Alba

Today’s trivia is on Brora:

• Brora is derived from Norse, meaning “bridge over the river”.
• In the early 1900s, Brora became the first village north of Inverness to have electricity, powered by its local wool mill.
• Known as the industrial powerhouse of Sutherland, it was home to a coal mine, salt pans, brickworks, and the famed Hunter’s of Brora wool mill.
• The village operated the most northerly coal mine in the UK, which began in the 1500s and finally closed in 1974.
• Stone from the local Clynelish quarry was used in the construction of Dunrobin Castle, Liverpool Cathedral, and London Bridge.
  
• The Brora Golf Club was designed by James Braid in 1923 and is known for its classic links layout where sheep and cattle still graze.
• The village is famous for Capaldi’s ice cream, established in 1932.

Our room is huge and the . . .

There’s a sea gull nest at the top of the chimney and we can hear everything that’s going on in the nest!

The weather says, do something indoorsie, so we headed off to Dunrobin Castle, a spritly 8min drive away. Google says, 2-3hrs max to see castle and grounds, we took almost 5hrs. Great castle, info and informative staff.

The morning was swammed by trip-a-deal americans and the afternoon by independent  Europeans travellers.

They gave such usefull presents for weddings etc . . .

Death at every corner . . .

Around the grounds . . .

Original house tower on right, then from right to left is second, third and fouth extensions and you see the cost.cuttings with style.

At the falconry display Andy gave lots of infon on difference with hawks and falcons.

First up was showing José the hawke abilities . . .

Then it was Henrietta the falcon’s turn to show it’s abilities . . .

After the falconry display, we went back into the house to continue of tour. The attendant in the nusery room said back again. I said, no just continuing from where we left to go and see the falconry. I noted he had moved from the countesses’ bedroom and the Ukraian girl had moved from the games room to the countesses’ bedroom. We had a good discussion on how great his job is. He and everyone else in the castle are fully employed and earn a good wage. He did complain that for five months of the year they are cleaning the 189 odd rooms while the castle is closed to public over winter.

The number of deer heads in the castle atrium was a bit confronting but that in the museum was just confronting. I understand killing an animal for food, but for sport, I just can’t comprehend.

and that’s just one place.

We were just in time for the 2:30pm falconry show, so we went as free.

Any was there again giving his exact spiel on falconry . . .

We then went to Golspie Burn Waterfall & Gorge, which was kind of just around the corner . . .

and around another corner was, Carn Liath Broch . . .

Apart from the wind, the day turned out to be partially sunny and a pretty pleasant day.

At the hotel, a car was in the hotel carpark. Not sure how it goes on the roads, based on the car we saw yesterday plus another hapless driver on the lonely drive across from Tongue with a flat. Someone was already helping her, so didn’t stop.

Today’s travels . . .