Thursday 8 August 2013

Dingwall to Inverness ?

Yesterday was a long day, can't believe all the things I saw from leaving the motel at St. Ann's and arriving at Cape North (route on Google maps), yet it was only about 75 miles of driving !

Leaving the B&B on Wednesday 26th June 2013, I have to back track just a short distance, passing Tartan & Treasures again to head a bit further north off the main road.  That's because I wanted to visit Dingwall, with it being my nearest town at 50 miles away back home in Scotland.   There's certainly no similarity !
This sign is just after turning off the main road, but the settlement is a bit further.
(Click on small pictures to enlarge)

Which maybe why there's another sign a mile or so further on?

I did pass a cluster of houses before the road came alongside this inlet, this is actually looking out to sea.
It's more obvious a bit further on, the inlet is around that promontory to the left, whilst not far away it seems such a different landscape in just a short distance.

Now I have gone around to the other side of the inlet of Dingwall Harbour. so the road I was on is behind those properties and the sea view off the the left.














This highlights one of the differences between small harbours in the Highlands of Scotland and in Nova Scotia. The harbours in NS can often be a collection of individual jetties and mooring scattered throughout an area in a bay, rather than one central point and is usually the case in Scotland?

It is a very scattered community, but returning to near where I saw the 'Peaceful Fishing Village' sign this is one of the houses.

Across the road the rather forlorn looking Stardome Hall which has seen better days.



















Time now to back track again and return to the main road, because beyond Dingwall there's no exit, it's remote roads to isolated settlements on the coast.

Back the short drive to the main road, I once again drive past Tartan & Treasures, also the track to my last B&B, less than half a mile beyond the main 'Cabot Trail' does a sharp left turn at its most northerly point.  Unfortunately my satnav had other ideas never uttered a word and I went straight on along the Gulf of St. Lawrence road !  

Fortunately I spotted the problem immediately and pulled across to a parking area to turn around.  It was then that I spotted I was outside the 
North Highlands Community Museum & Culture Centre.




















What an amazing place this turned out to be, especially for a very small and scattered community, it really would have done any town proud, let alone this small remote population.  I was parked outside the 'Settlers Garden' so what better place to start?










































Hay Barrack


Quoted from the Museum website:

The Settlers Garden is the product of a years intensive effort in design, construction and planting, culminating in the Grand Opening on August 3, 2008. 

The garden represents, in miniature, the natural and cultivated world of the early European settlers who made their homes in the North Highlands of Cape Breton.
Each of the ten individual gardens is a facet in a gemstone, and each may be seen as a source of food. 

There is nourishment for the body (the Fruit, Vegetable, Grain, and Cooking Herb gardens, as well as fruitful Native shrubs and trees); food for health and the spirit in Medicinal herbs; food for the soul in the old-world Heaths and Heathers; a feast for the eyes and food for nostalgia - in the Cottage Garden.

Inside the quality of displays and content of the displays is exceptional for this Community Museum.



























 (Click on small pictures to enlarge them)























Being there early in the morning, actually the first person there, some of the activities weren't yet on the go, for example the Blacksmiths Forge, but a lot of other things happen there.  There's also access to the internet, wi-fi, and a Genealogy Centre too.

What struck me was there were three staff, all local teens or maybe early twenties at the most.  They were so enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable, with a keen interest in their local area, culture and history.  For a remote Community Museum, with such a splendid collection, they were a credit to their community just as much as the museum itself is a credit to the area.  

It's certainly a must visit location, so if you visit the area don't miss North Highlands Community Museum at Cape North (Google map location)

So far today I had only travelled about 5 miles which included backtracking to get to Dingwall initially (route) yet I've go over 200 miles to get to my B&B tonight.  So I have been to Dingwall, but I have to go to Inverness via Dunvegan, which in Scotland would be a lot further…... so better get on the road again !  


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