History

Lower Links Nature’s Treasurers

Dornoch
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If Natural History captures your interest the Scottish Highlands offers plenty of material to keep you engaged for months. It’s something to do with the geology, the climate and relative lack of people, I guess. Natural history isn’t something I’ve ever studied but I do know several who have, and for them the Lower Links [...]

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Witches Not Welcome Here

Dornoch
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The last witch burned at the stake met her unfortunate end in Dornoch. Or that’s the story around here at least. It seems the Scottish Highlands was the last area to ban the practice of accusing people of witchcraft, and then killing them in the most unfortunate way. Despite the strong influence of christianity it [...]

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Discovering Dornoch HistoryLinks

Dornoch

Dornoch History Links heritage centre enjoys VisitScotland 5 Star Museum status, and quite rightly, as you’ll see in the video. The displays present stories covering nearly 2000 years of history in a way that’s both accessible and entertaining, for all ages. Not an easy thing to do, as most museums manage to prove. Throughout the [...]

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Discovering Rosal Township

Helmsdale

Rosal Township in the Scottish Highlands is probably the most informing of the heritage sites kept so well by the Forestry Commission. They’ve done a splendid job of the storyboards to help visitors find their way around the site, understanding quite a lot about how people lived back then- before the Highland Clearances. Rosal Township [...]

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Discovering Helmsdale

Accommodation

Helmsdale is at the northern border where Sutherland meets Caithness and less than an hour from John O Groats and the Pentland Firth. This small town is famous for three things – salmon fishing, the Clearances and the Mirage restaurant which is said to serve the best fish and chips in the north. There’s also [...]

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Badbea Highland Clearance Village and Memorial

Helmsdale

Badbea Highland Clearance Village and Memorial is just a couple of miles north of Helmsdale, on the A9.  There’s a road sign on the left and a small car park on the right, with a storyboard and a gate. It’s so easy to reach, and the village is only a few minutes walk away.  Badbea [...]

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Highland Clearances Injustice for the Poor

History

The Highland Clearances is a story every visitor should learn something about. Amongst Highland people this episode of injustice forced on their ancestors is still cause for anger and resentment. It’s a story this part of the world will never forget. Luckily the heritage centres in every town cover their own versions what happened in [...]

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Visiting Dornoch Cathedral

Dornoch

Dornoch Cathedral is everything you’d expect from a place of worship, and a lot more. No visit to the Scottish Highlands can be complete without an hour in this very special building. Here is the very centre of nearly 800 years history in this part of the world where the north met the south, often [...]

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History of Dornoch Cathedral

Dornoch

The history of Dornoch Cathedral goes all the way back to 1222 and most of the original stonework is still there. Despite its history of conflicts and pillage this is no ruin. Every Sunday its full to the rafters and it’s impossible to find a seat on high days and holidays. In the Cathedral you’ll [...]

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Discovering Dunrobin Castle

Golspie

Dunrobin Castle sits between the A9 and the sea. It’s one of the main attractions in this part of the Scottish Highlands. My wife, Jackie, describes it as a “fairy tale castle” because of the elegant stonework and especially the round turrets. Anybody who enjoys the elegance and splendour of the days when gentlemen were [...]

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