Friday 2nd February 2024
A walk from Invergordon to Evanton along the cycle track (7.7 miles).
Anne and I went through to Invergordon Station where we met up with Mairi. She joined us for part of the walk. We set off walking at 8.30.
It was very windy and conversation was difficult. The weather improved as the day went on. Our old friend, Mr Harmon who has passed away, was station-master when we first came to Invergordon. That was 1981 that I came and Anne a year later.
We headed up the Firth into the wind. This picture is fuzzy due to the buffeting with the wind.
The signposts at all entrances to Invergordon has this dedication to the Stoltman Brothers. I taught both Luke and Tom. I taught Harry for just a short time. I am enormously proud of them all. Tom has twice been World’s Strongest Man and Luke has been Europe’s Strongest Man. I am pleased to say Tom has just won Britain’s Strongest Man, again. Luke took third place. Good one boys. They lift weights that are unthinkable.
Beyond Rosskeen Bridge there is this standing stone in a field. Clach a’ Mheirlich, or ‘The Thief’s Stone’, is a sandstone pillar approximately 6 feet high, with Pictish symbols carved on its sides. It probably dates from between the 7th and 9th centuries AD.
Boathouse corner.
Fyrish is dead ahead in the centre. Anne and I will walk right past it today.
Belleport Pier.
One of the few rises of the day. This takes us past the sewage works. I feel sorry for the people in that house. It is a beautiful property but the smell from the sewage farm some days is awful. I know this well as I cycled it almost every day when I taught in Invergordon Academy.
We came into Alness and went into Morrisons to the Cafe. We each had a chocolate eclair and I had some strawberry milk. We also used the toilet. We then went onto the Royal Bank on the High Street where we parted with Mairi. It was lovely to have her company. Anne and I then headed through Alness and out the other side. This is the Parish Church at the far end of Alness. Our good friend Ronald Morrison was minister here. Another friend who has passed away.
Fyrish is much closer.
This is the cemetery at the ruined Old Parish Church. The day is improving.
And we headed along the Ballachraggan Straight.
The Old Manse is a lovely building.
At Novar Toll you look directly at Fyrish. There is a hint of a rainbow. The farm is Clashnabuiac.
That’s the way home.
That’s the way to Evanton. The good old 25A bus.
What a lovely path but the surface is getting very poor in places.
I took this picture of the tree trunks. They look amazing in that low winter light.
The track goes alongside the railway here.
One of the entrances to the Novar Estate.
Another entrance to the Novar Estate.
And finally we reached Evanton.
Looking back at Fyrish, now.
And what a show of snowdrops.
We walked on through Evanton and past the Parish Church here. These two churches that I photographed are to be closed. How sad. People don’t need God now. We had left my car at the car park just beyond.
We got to the car at 11.35 and then drove back to Invergordon to collect Anne’s car. A lovely walk. We last did this, but in the opposite direction, in February 2015.