Strathy Point

The journey to Strathy Point is really too far to do in one day, at least 8 hours driving, so we decided to break up the journey by staying two nights with friends who have retired to live just to the east of Inverness.

The trip to inverness was uneventful, we managed to get away only 10 minutes behind schedule and we got caught up in the usual traffic queue at Perth. it was just about lunch time when we arrived at the House of Bruar, owned by an English company that does its best to cultivate an air of Scottishness. We stopped for lunch and it was very busy, but that is normal, it is a popular stopping point on the A9 to or from Inverness.

Barbara was hoping that we would have time to visit an ex-colleague of hers who lived in Inverness, but as we sat down to have our lunch, Barbara saw her and her husband sitting at another table. It was a happy coincidence.

After lunch we set off and it seemed like no time at all the satnav brought us to our friend's very beautiful house in a very small estate of very beautiful houses. Barbara was very taken with all the work they had done in the garden (it was very beautiful), and she left with lots of ideas as to what to do in ours.

I had never actually visited Inverness, I had only ever driven through it on my way north, so we went into the city centre and walked along the river. It was a lovely walk, on the way back we stopped at Culloden very briefly, and i think I would like to go back and spend more time there. It is a very significant place in Scottish history.

On the Sunday we went to Culloden-Balloch Baptist Church, it is a very busy, friendly, and lively church set in a very modern building on the edge of the village.

On Monday, just after breakfast, we said our goodbyes, it had been wonderful to meet up with dear friends again, we had great conversations, laughter, and wonderful food. After refuelling the car we were soon over the bridge and on our way north again.

We had plenty of time and planned to stop as often as we could, as our check in to the cottage wasn't until 1600. As it turned out we stopped in Dornoch for a couple of hours, Barbara had been before and wanted to visit again, it was just 5 minutes off our route.

We got parked no problem and went for coffee and cake at The Milk and Honey Cafe, then visited the bookshop next door and then went to the cathedral across the road. The Cathedral dates from the 13th Century but was significantly restored in the 19th. It was very beautiful and the stained-glass windows were some of the best I have seen.

Once we got going again it didn't seem to take too long before we were approaching Thurso, so we stopped at the Tesco, we thought we could get something to eat in the cafe and then get our groceries for the week. As it turned out the over was out of order so there was no hot food, and I ended up buying a sandwich and having that in the cafe with coffee. By the time we got our groceries it was almost 1600, and following the excellent directions our host had given us we arrived at the cottage about 30 minutes later.

the photographs on the website did not do it justice, it is easily the nicest, most well-finished cottage we have ever stayed at, and the views are amazing. It has been recently refurbished and everything is brand new, and tastefully, and elegantly furnished. It's going to be a great week.Read more