Clootie well, Munlochy

A beautiful day again so spent the morning doing some more gardening and drinking tea. I quick visit to Inverness to buy somethings for Brownies tomorrow.
Mike had a meeting in Munlochy so he dropped me off at the Clootie Well. Mike does like it at all but I find it fascinating. The well has thought to have been used since the time of St Boniface (or Curidan ) around AD620.
Pilgrims would come and circle the well three times walking sunwise. Water would then be splashed on the ground and a prayer made. Then a cloot (cloth) belonging to someone who needs healing would be hung to a branch. some say that the cloot should be dipped in the well before hanging it up.
It is abit creepy looking at some of the cloths faded in time and rotting. Once the cloth has rotted the sick person should be healed.
Some of the cloots are obviously new maybe just left by a tourist or by someone who really needs help. The branches are covered with all sorts of things but mainly bits of rag wrapped and tied some high up and others low down. While I was there a family arrived and a little girl made a wish. The water runs from a Spring down into a concrete basin, filled to the brim with clear water.
The well appears in Ian Rankins book 'The naming of the Dead' featuring Inspector Rebus.
Further away from the well I walked through cool woodland with huge trees. It was really pretty in the sunlight.The birdsong followed me where every I went , Along with the sound of children playing or maybe my ears deceived me ;)