Sun on the Battlefields

It was a beautiful morning in Elgin, as I packed Wally, said farewell to Kate and Wayne, as I returned to my nomadic life !

As I travelled along the road to Inverness I saw signs for ‘Culloden’, and decided to visit the battlefield there. Up along the roads towards the large visitor centre, there didn’t seem to be many British or English flags flying… nor would I find much to do with the English, just the weary downtrodden Scots ! Ah well, to be so badly treated …it’s no wonder they never forget !?

I contributed my £2 parking fee, and walked out onto the Moor of Culloden, a great expanse of moor, fairly flat, although with some slight ‘ups and downs’ – the warm breeze whistled across the moor, but wit the hot sunshine it was a really pleasant walk, around.

Red and blue flags fluttered in the wind, indicating the Government and Jacobite forces starting ‘line up’, not a vast expanse really for around 10,000 men.

There were quite a few people there, probably taking advantage of the sunshine, on what is normally a bleak, muddy moor…but today ?

I walked around the entire battlefield, or, at least the main area, in less than an hour, along with people from all over the world.Then it was back on the road, into Inverness for some ‘shopping’…a map case ! at Tiso before heading down and along the A9 to Aviemore, the sunshine still accompanying me, but as I got up onto the plateau of the Cairngorm mountain the wind, although still warm was ferocious, blasting grit at me as I wandered around the mountain railway station. I had wondered about stopping the night, for a walk the next day, but decided I would never get any sleep with the way Wally was being rocked in the wind, so dropped down for views of the mountain… and decided to keep driving…

I went on the back road, through Kingussie, before seeing signs for Ruthven barracks – which I had seen many times as I travelled along the A9, but never actually seen it close up, so off I went, to the foot of the path up to the barracks, or, I should say the remains,built on a natural mound of earth, overlooking the valley and surrounding land .

The structure is still quite impressive, and currently being renovated and preserved, and the views from the barracks itself were great..  I had the place to myself, as it was getting into the early evening, and obviously all the ‘sightseers’ had gone !

So, with a last view from up the valley, I was off myself, to find somewhere for the night….I returned to Laggan Wolftrax, as I had left my gloves and glasses  in the shop last week , and they were keeping them for me !

So, a curry and Naan bread, and starry skies,with the place to myself……what more does a man need  ? Goodnight !