Croick Church
There are many interesting and diverse historical sites to see, again within easy reach of Braelangwell. In Strath Carron itself is the lovely little church at Croick which figured prominently in the Clearances at Glencalvie.
Dunrobin Castle
Beautifully restored to its former glory Dunrobin Castle (25 miles) has been the ancestral home of the Dukes and Earls of Sutherland since the 13th century.
Redesigned by Sir Charles Barry in the French style and later by Sir Robert Lorimer in the Scottish Renaissance style Dunrobin resembles a fairytale illustration and appeals to all ages. Just to the north lies the small seaside town of Brora and one of Scotland’s most northerly whiskey distilleries Clynelish.
To the south and easily ‘do-able’ in one trip is the Glenfiddich Distillery which is just on the northerly side of Tain. A few miles to the south is Fearn Abbey, although largely rebuilt it still retains many of its ancient features and is a memorable place to visit. Going on a bit further towards Portmahomak is the Tarbat Discovery Centre. Recently opened to the public the centre houses the finds of Scotland’s only Pictish monastic settlement beautifully displayed in the restored Tarbat Old Parish Church.
For those interested in military history is Culloden Moor (7 miles to the west of Inverness) the site of the final battle for the succession of the throne which had been raging since 1688 and 10 miles to the north of the battle field is Fort George, a massive grass topped artillery defence conceived just after Culloden and intended to put an end to future uprisings.
