A big run on the ‘new’ wee ZSB to Cille Choirill Church and the Centre of Scotland Stone (187 miles).
This is a run I would like to make a film of for YouTube on my “trusty” BSA C15, so this was really a reconnoitre. I also wanted to push the mileage on the ZSB to test it and myself. My knees were in agony at the end of the trip. The bike was fine. The last tankful of fuel I put in yesterday seemed to give 85 mpg which is very poor and very disappointing for such a wee bike. We will have to see when I fill it up again what it was giving today. From the spark plug colour it is not running correctly, too lean.
This is an interactive map. Hovering over the icon
on the map allows selecting the other route sections.I left at 9.25 with a very full and heavy top-box as I had my stove, gas and equipment to make my lunch. I also had a very complete toolkit.
I went via the Old Evanton Road to Dingwall, through Maryburgh, Conon Bridge, Muir of Ord and Beauly to get to Brockie’s Corner. Here I headed over the Cul na Kirk to get to Drumnadrochit. I stopped on the Cul na Kirk at around 10.20 to have something to eat. This is my picnic spot.
I then headed down the Great Glen. Loch Ness.
I had a brief stop at Bridge of Oich. That is Loch Oich.
The “bridge”.
And then reached Loch Lochy.
I had to stop at the Commando Memorial before Spean Bridge.
At Spean Bridge I turned left, or east, onto the Loch Laggan and Glen Roy road. Just a short bit along it, beyond Roybridge, I turned up the narrow track to the Cille Choirill Church. I have never been here before.
It was listening to Beluga Lagoon on “The Big Sea And The Small Boat” and the song “Hebridean Breeze” that raised my curiosity.
A Hebridean breeze, a Hebridean breeze
Blew from west to the east
Through Lochaber now in peace
Macdonald was your name, Macdonald was your name
For Cille Choirill was in your plan
Now you’re sleeping with your clan
Cille Choirill is a 15th-century Roman Catholic church situated in Glen Spean in Lochaber, Scotland. Dedicated to St Caireall mac Curnain of what is now County Galway, (also called “Cyril”), it was possibly built by Cameron of Lochiel. The church was rebuilt in 1933 with original architectural features from the medieval period. The work was funded by Canadian descendants of emigrants from the Lochaber region in which the church is located. Further restoration work was undertaken by the Scottish Churches Archaeological Trust in 1991.
An unlikely legend links Allan nan Creach as its builder. He was a warrior chief, known for his ruthless raids and pillaging, who later worried about his immortal soul. He consulted a witch who instructed him to perform a ritual called Taghairm, involving roasting a cat alive. The tortured cat’s screams summoned the King of the Cats, who demanded the cat’s release and asked Allan what he wanted in return. Allan sought a way to atone for his sins, and the King of the Cats instructed him to build seven beautiful churches, one for each of his great raids. Cille Choirill is the only one of these churches that is still standing.
Legend also tells of a clan chief, Eoghunn Ruad Chulodair, who was mortally wounded at Culloden and secretly buried beneath the chapel’s floor. His clansmen carried his body back to Cille Choirill, avoiding detection by Redcoats and ensuring a secret burial.
I had a wee look around. This place has atmosphere and a sense of the ancient.
The forecast for the day was for wall to wall sunshine and very hot. As you can see from the photos it was rather overcast but the temperature was comfortable. It was an ideal motorbike travel day. It did get brighter later on as I neared home.
I made my lunch here at around 12.30.
On the way back down I looked at these peculiar graves. Kind of like Tibetan Buddhist chortens.
I then moved on down Glen Spean and onto Loch Laggan. The water level is a bit low just now.
Instead of going onto Newtonmore directly, the road I normally take though always in the other direction, I branched off before Laggan onto the Glentruim road. Before you reach the A9 at Ralia is the Centre of Scotland Stone. Just before it on the other side of the road is a memorial to Cluny Macpherson.
The plaque reads:
1746 1996
THIS CAIRN STANDS WITHIN VIEW OF CREAG
DHUBH TO COMMEMORATE THE LIFE OF EWAN
MACPHERSON OF CLUNY, COLONEL OF THE
BADENOCH MEN IN THE FORTY-FIVE RISING, A
SPOKESMAN AT THE JACOBITE WAR COUNCIL AT
DERBY, A LEADER AT THE SKIRMISH AT
CLIFTON IN CUMBERLAND, AT THE BATTLE OF
FALKIRK, AND IN THE ATHOLL RAID AND LAST
JACOBITE FUGITIVE TO REACH FRANCE (JUNE
1755). CHIEF OF THE CLAN MACPHERSON
(1746-1764). BORN AT NUIDE 11 FEBRUARY 1706
DIED AT DUNKIRK 30 JANUARY 1764.
A man of extreme good sense and inferior to none in the
north of Scotland for capacity, greatly beloved by his clan
a man not only brave in the general acceptation of the
word; but upon reflection and forethought determined and
resolute with uncommon calmness.
John Murray of Broughton
This piece of ground was generously gifted by Euan LR.
Macpherson of Glentruim. The cairn is built of rock from
Badenoch and from all corners of the world where
Macphersons and their septs have settled.
THIS TABLET WAS UNVEILED BY SIR WILLIAM
MACPHERSON OF CLUNY AND BLAIRGOWRIE
27TH CHIEF ON THE OCCASION OF THE FIFTIETH
ANNUAL GATHERING
OF THE CLAN MACPHERSON ASSOCIATION
4TH AUGUST 1996
NA BEAN DON CHAT GUN LAMHAINN
This is a beautiful road.
I reached the centre of Scotland!
There is some debate as to the location of the geographical centre of Scotland. This is due to different methods of calculating the centre, and whether surrounding islands are included.
In 2002, the Ordnance Survey calculated the centre using a mathematical centre of gravity method. This is the mathematical equivalent of calculating the point at which a cardboard cut-out of Scotland could be perfectly balanced on the tip of a pin. It becomes complicated when the islands are included so one simplification is just to ignore them.
The Ordnance Survey calculated that the centre of Mainland Scotland is at NN7673153751 (56°39′33.86″N 4°0′40.37″W). The point is 5 km east of the mountain of Schiehallion, which is sometimes claimed to be at the centre of Scotland.
The centre point including islands was found to be at grid reference NN6678471599 (56°49.0153′N 4°10.959′W). This is on a hillside in Glen Garry, near the Pass of Drumochter.
Then there is this spot claimed to be the centre that lies a few miles from the village of Newtonmore, Badenoch. That stone marks the spot replacing an Ordinance Survey plaque that was stolen. This is the centre I went to.
I then moved onto the A9 at Ralia but after 1.5 miles turned off to Newtonmore. I came by Kingussie and turned off to go to Feshiebridge. Just outside Kingussie is Ruthven Barracks.
Looking to Kingussie.
A bit further along is Loch Insh.
And later Loch Pityoulish where I have stopped several times. I stopped to have a wee picnic.
I then came to Boat of Garten and onto Carrbridge. Beyond Carrbridge I took my usual two wheel shortcut, avoiding the A9, to Slochd. Bad boy.
I took my new way to avoid the A9 by Findhorn Bridge, Tomatin, Maoy and Nairnside. This is taken a bit above Nairnside.
Leaving Nairnside and looking over the Black Isle to Ben Wyvis.
It was through Inverness and over the Kessock Bridge. As usual I took the back roads over the Black Isle to get home. Well, was I glad to get off the bike? My knees were wrecked. The old Majesty allowed you to stretch your legs and I really miss that. It was a fun and interesting day.