Croick Church...

Kildary, Ross & Cromarty, Day 3

We have had another wonderful day here in the highlands.

Another leisurely breakfast, then after a chat with Linda, the owner of The Barn, we set off to find a little church that has an intriguing and sad story to tell from the time of the Highland Clearances.

It amazes me that the teaching of the Highland Clearances, a huge and tragic event in Scotland's past, was not taught in my school history curriculum (I have no idea if it's taught now but I doubt it.)

The Highland Clearances were the shameful act of evicting tenants in the Highlands and Islands from the land they had tended for generations, to make way for sheep farming.  Many Scottish people hold the view (and I'm one of them) that one of the reasons Scotland welcomes people to its shores, particularly migrants and refugees (as seen in Glasgow recently ) is   
our historic experience of being refugees in our own land.  But I digress...

Our journey took us to Bonar Bridge, driving alongside the beautiful Dornoch Firth, before crossing the bridge and turning right at Ardgay and heading deep into Strathcarron, following the River Carron for approx 10 miles, till the little white Church comes into view.  

The story of the Church and the families (victims of the Highland Clearances) who sheltered in its churchyard on 24th May 1845, can be found here, and the messages they scratched into the east widow can still be seen. They are ever present.  

Unfortunately the church is still closed due to covid restrictions so we weren't able to go inside, but it was worth the trip.  And as we drove back down the valley the history of abandoned crofts was all around us.  Whether the one I photographed in extras dates back to the clearances, I don't know, but it tells its own story.

We carried on to Lairg stopping at the Falls of Shin to watch the salmon leaping.  Unfortunately I needed the loo at this stage but the visitor centre was closed, so I stayed in the car and missed the falls!  There's no way I could have stood beside fast flowing water!  

The public loos in Lairg and Bonar Bridge were also closed!  My only complaint of the holiday so far!  So we headed back to the Barn (not a moment too soon!!) to sit in the sun and enjoy the wonderful view from the garden (see extra) and plan tomorrow's adventures.