North Coast Route to Culloden, Inverness, Scotland

28TH AUGUST 2018 JOHN O'GROATS TO CULLODEN, INVERNESS, SCOTLAND

From John O'Groats we drove south to the Whaligoe Steps - I discovered the Steps on Pinterest so thought we should go see them and I made it to bottom and back up again - all 330 steps - I counted them.

Info from Wiki "Whaligoe, (whale geo or inlet of whales) is a small port which was prospected by Thomas Telford in 1786 during his tour of northern fishing harbours for the British Fishing Society. His judgement of the place was that it was a "terrible spot". However, undaunted, Captain David Brodie spent £8 to cut the famous 330 steps. His confidence was rewarded in 1814 with the harbour supporting 14 herring boats."

Whaligoe Steps, Scotland

We stopped at Dunrobin Castle which is the family seat of the Earl of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland and had a great falconry display, a museum with taxidermy animals which were trophy heads of animals shot on safari and artefacts.

Dunrobin Castle, Scotland

Falconry display at Dunrobin Castle, Scotland

We stopped at the Black Isle Brewery in Munlochy which does tours before heading to our bed and breakfast in Culloden which had views of the viaduct...

View from our accommodation in Culloden, Inverness, Scotland

The Culloden Viaduct was opened in 1898  and has 29 arches, is 549 m (1880ft) in length, and it is the longest masonry viaduct in Scotland.

Culloden Viaduct, Culloden, Inverness, Scotland

On the way to dinner we went to the standing stones and clava cairns in Culloden. Clava Cairns are circular stone burial tombs. The three Balnuaran of Clava cairns were built in the bronze age and have a ring of standing stones surrounding them.

Balnuaran of Clava cairns, Culloden, Inverness, Scotland

Balnuaran of Clava cairns, Culloden, Inverness, Scotland