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As yet its not raining and sky is blue!
Headed off from Inverness this morning to venture north for some further highland exploring and enrichment. We were looking for a cafe to get some breakfast so we detoured off the main route much to Morag's (our Mercedes inbuilt navigator) frustration.
The little villages we visit are not big on cafes so as cute and pretty as they are we keep going to Dornoch.
This is a lovely village, mainly known for its Cathedral but also as it turns out one of its major benefactors was philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Glenn asks a local lady about to walk her dog on the beach if she could recommend somewhere for breakfast and she points us to the Courthouse cafe and it is a winner. Yummy granola and yoghurt pot for me and poached eggs bacon tomato and mushrooms for Glenn plus coffee.
Just across the road is the Cathedral, originally built between 1222 and 1239 of local stone. In 1570 the church was burnt during a clan battle and in 1616 restorations were carried out and over time in the 1800s and beyond the restoration, preservation has continued.
Our next destination is Dunrobin Castle which is the historic home of the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland. The tree lined entrance leads us to a magnificent site. The Castle is definite fairytale material. The earliest part of the building was constructed around 1275 and extensions and restorations have been carried out over time.
One of my favourite rooms was the nursery with a most detailed dolls house and other toys from past centuries. The Castle is magical and the gardens are stunning. We are treated to a display of falconry which is fantastic. The handler, Andy works with 3 of his birds, a hawk, an eagle owl and a falcon. Very informative and enlightening about the birds and their different hunting methods.
We explore the Castle and its grounds for more than 2 hours as there is so much to see.
Leaving the Castle we plan a drive to take us to Shin Falls. I found reference to it during a good old google search and not knowing anything about what we were going to we drove some great country roads through small villages often having to pull off to the side to allow another car to pass from the opposite direction. Shin Falls also provides us with a different experience as it is a place where the salmon head upstream to spawn. Watching them attempting to swim and jump up the waterfall is both mesmerizing and heartbreaking. You can't help but barrack for the salmon and will them to make it but all this effort results in them laying their eggs and dying of exhaustion. Bittersweet!
The setting in the woodlands is picturesque and play equipment and a cafe in the clearing makes it a great destination for young and old and us that are in between!
One last stop before returning to Inverness and yes it's another Castle. Cawdor Castle is the home of the Dowager Countess Cawdor and has been home of the Thanes of Cawdor for over 600 years. Unlike other castles we have visited this one has very low doorways. Narrow winding stairs, the original kitchen and tapestries are all on display. Once again an amazing collection. The gardens, both formal and the natural woodlands that surround the Castle are stunning as well.
Back in Inverness it's time to make plans for dinner.
After wandering the streets firstly to find a park and then to find somewhere that can fit us in to eat we finish up at the Castle Tavern. A small pub opposite the Inverness Castle. A busy little place, but we manage to grab a little table in a corner. Good pub food!
There is a wedding at the hotel where we are staying and as we park the car one of the groomsmen dressed in his kilt and his 'friend' emerge from a car and he invites us to come and join him for a wee dram! Very hospitable but we decline, not sure what would happen if we said we don't drink scotch!
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