Culloden and Loch Ness, Scotland

Day35/Scotland 12

Travelled:145km

Stay: Balintore- picnic area with beautiful sea views N57.7534 W3.9137

Visited: Culloden Battlefield (National Trust £11pp/£2 parking), Clava Cairns (free), Loch Ness

We arrived nice and early (8am) an hour before the Culloden Visitor Centre opened. 

So after a quick breakfast we walked around the battlefield (it’s free and open all the time) before it got busy. 

For those who don’t know, Culloden is a stretch of moorland that on the 16th April 1746 the last battle on British soil was fought and the Jacobite’s cause (Scottish Independence and to put Bonnie Prince Charlie on the English Throne with French support) perished beneath the onslaught of the English troops. They lost 1500 men in 45 mins and the rest of the 3,500 Jacobites where either killed, sentenced to death or deportation, fined or some lucky ones managed to escape. Red (English) and blue (Jacobites) flags showed us the front lines. 

Headstones marked the graves of the clansmen who died that day. 

From then on reforms were put in place including the prohibition of men wearing the tartan. In the visitors centre we learnt about the events the occurred during the months before and after this final battle took place from both sides. 

We were lucky enough to be here when the Scotch College Pipe Band (from Melbourne) played, whilst marching through the battlefield. They had attended a competition in Inverness. 

From here we went to have a look at the Clava Cairns, which had remains of three Bronze Age circular chamber tombs. 

Then we were off to drive part of the southern shores of Loch Ness. It is 39km long, 1.5km wide and 305m deep. 

It got world wide fame when in the 6th century ‘Nessie’ was first sighted, but attracted increasing attention in the 1930’s when ambiguous photos where taken. Although we vigilantly kept a close look out we didn’t manage to spot dear old Nessie except than in the roundabout... disappointed we continued on our journey north to the quiet little port village of Balintore. We got an amazing spot overlooking the bay, enjoying a few strolls along the port and the beach inbetween showers. 

The local mermaid