Inverness.Pub

June 18 to 20—Scottish Highlands June 18—Kilravock Castle—near Inverness

Blair Castle June 18—Kilravock Castle—near Inverness

We slept in and were almost late for breakfast. It must be the clean Highland air. However, we were only a few minutes late. Julie had eggs, ham and mushrooms which she said were excellent. I had cereal as I wasn’t too hungry.

We checked out of Dalgreine House and set off down the road to Blair Castle where we enjoyed an excellent tour of the castle. As always I found the castle impressive, with its white exterior, and Julie found it impressive as well. The weather was turning cool, and it had started to rain. We were glad we would be inside most of the day. We spent about 2 hours at the castle. I enjoyed viewing the portraits Battle of Culloden from the Jacobite era. There was also a huge display of china—all different kinds from all other the world.

Blair Castle is a private residence and home of the Murray family, who hold the title of Dukes of Atholl. It is located on the main road through the central highlands. The castle was besieged by the Jacobites during the uprising in 1745-1746. The people living there were near starva- tion when the Jacobites withdrew to fight at Culloden.

The entry hall is really impressive with collections of weapons, paintings and beautiful woodwork. The stags were Entrance ones that were hunted in the area. Staircase

June 18—Kilravock—near Inverness (Cont’d)

We climbed the large staircase to the upper floors where we toured the dining room, bedrooms and general living area. The paintings on the staircase walls were representations of the family over the years. Walking through the Drawing Room we could imagine the family sitting playing cards, or reading in front of the fireplace. Displayed throughout the castle are Drawing Room needlework, photography, furniture and hunt- 10th Duke of Atholl ing trophies collected by the Murray family over many generations.

Blair Castle entertained many notable guests during the years, among them Mary Queen of Scots who visited the castle in 1564. Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed at Blair Castle on his way south to Edinburgh in 1745. In 1844, Queen Victoria visited Blair Castle for three weeks and that is when she fell in love with the Scottish Highlands, a love that never left her.

June 18—Kilravock—near Inverness (Cont’d)

The Murray family endured divided loyalties during the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite uprisings. One of the Duke’s sons took part in the 1715 uprising and because he supported the Jaco- bites he had to take refuge in France after their defeat. Dur- ing the 1745 uprising, William Murray and another son fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie, and briefly stayed at the castle when the Jacobite Derby Suite army passed by. The castle Queen Victoria Stayed in this was later captured by govern- Room ment troops.

One of the Murray’s inherited a great deal of money from his grandmother and was able to restore and refurbish the Dining Room castle, lands, and properties. The castle today provides the garrison for the Atholl High- landers, the private army of the Duke of Atholl, noted as the only legal private army in Europe.

The Tapestry Room contains the Mortlake Tapestries that Tapestry Room once belonged to King Charles I and were sold by Cromwell after the King’s execution. June 18—Kilravock (Cont’d)

We explored three floors in the main part of the castle. The upper two floors were a mix of large and small, more intimate rooms. We really enjoyed the China Room, with displays of the hundreds of pieces of china held by the family over the years. The largest room in the castle is the ballroom, which we passed Ballroom—Blair Castle through on our way to the gift shop and restaurant.

It was still raining when we left the castle. We drove on the A9 towards Inverness on our way to Kilravock Castle, located about 25 miles outside of Inverness. We drove through the little village of Croy that only had one store. We stopped and purchased some stamps and postcards. We also bought clothes detergent China Display—Blair Castle so we could wash our clothes while we were at staying at the castle.

Kilravock Castle

One of the Kilravock barons. June 18—Kilravock (Cont’d)

We continued our drive to Kilravock Castle which was supposed to be a few minutes drive from Croy. Of course we got lost. The castle is not visible from the main road because it is located quite far back on about 20 to 30 acres of land. The main road is tree lined near the entrance to the small road leading to Kilravock but luckily there is a large sign that is clearly visible, indicating where to turn to get to the castle. We drove up the winding lane, through tall pine trees, and passed a barn where lots of pigs and cows Julie—outside Kilravock Castle were housed. We eventually saw the castle through the trees. We were able to park right in front of the castle. The sun was peeking through the clouds and the weather was starting to improve.

Kilravock (pronounced “kilrock”) Castle is the seat of the Rose Clan. The Farley family is a member (sept) of the Rose Clan (Fairley, Fairlie, Farlie). Septs were large and powerful families within a Clan. They did not share the na- tive surname but in some cases their heads could be as powerful as the Chief himself. Smaller clans could also bond together for protection, forming a larger confedera- tion. June 18—Kilravock (Cont’d)

One branch of the Farley family came to England with William the Con- queror from Normandy and the family branched out, some staying in England, some moving to Scotland, and some moving to Ireland. We were glad to be staying at the castle because of its family connection.

The clerk, a young man from Cambridge, greeted us and gave us all the information we would need for our stay. There is also another lady who manages the castle. They have B&B accommodations and they have large gardens where they host local events for different groups in the area. We checked in and arranged to take a tour of the castle the next Heather room—you can see by the thickness of the walls in the windows that the building is morning after breakfast. We also purchased a few postcards and noticed very old. they also had a few souvenirs for sale. We were somewhat surprised to find that the castle is a religious retreat (Kilravock Christian Trust Estate) where they hold conferences and weddings. Kilravock Castle is located close to Culloden Battlefield, Fort George, as well as Cawdor Castle and the Clava Cairns.

Our rooms were located in the old stables and Julie and I were in sepa- rate rooms. She was at one end of the stables and I was at the other end. They were only a few feet apart, though. The rooms are all named for flowers or plants. My room was called the Laburnum and Julie’s the Lav- ender. My room was quite small but it had a large window overlooking the castle gardens. Cawdor Castle June 18—Kilravock (Cont’d)

The weather had started to warm up and the sun was shining, although the air was still a bit chilly. The gardens around the castle were beautiful. There are many rare trees in the gardens, many very old and very large. It was necessary to keep my curtains closed because people visiting the gardens walked past by window. My room had a bathroom which was for my use only, but it was located outside of my bedroom. My room had a sink so I was able to wash some clothes. The bathroom and my room had heaters in them so they were both quite warm and I could drape my clothes Cedar of Lebanon tree—very old! over them to dry. The only other room on my floor (main) was the lounge, which had a television, stereo and lots of books to read. It was quite a nice lounge with a large fireplace and soft sofas and chairs. Julie’s room was quite a bit larger than my room but she shared a bathroom. She said she didn’t mind—should would prefer the larger room. Both rooms were nicely decorated.

Julie and I agreed on a time to meet in the morning. Julie said she would call on me because she had an alarm clock. I organized my souvenirs and started reading the book by Diana Gabaldon Layering beech tree (“Voyager”) that I had purchased to reacquaint myself with the area. The story took place during and after the Battle of Culloden. Her latest book is called “An Echo in the Bone” and continues the story of Jamie and Claire Fraser and their experiences during the War of Independence in the United States. June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

I slept until 7:30—I must have been tired. My twin bed was very comfort- able even if the room was tiny. Julie called on me at about 8:30 and we went to the castle for breakfast. We had a little table in the window overlooking the gardens. The views of the gardens were very nice. We were served a traditional Scottish breakfast with porridge, eggs, ham, toast, etc. It was huge but really good. I wasn’t supposed to take photos inside the castle but I managed to sneak a few. After breakfast we took our tour of the castle. As the Rose Clan is our clan, we found it really interesting. Kilravock Castle is located in the Nairn Valley. The first Rose arrived in Britain with Wm. The Conqueror. They settled at Kilravock in 1293. Nearly every Kilravock Rose has borne the Christian name “Hugh”. The first six generations lived in a house built partly of stone and partly of wood situ- ated at the top of the hill by the Cedar of Lebanon tree. Lawlessness and battles between the clans were common in the area during the 14th century, and by the end of the 15th century the skyline of the Nairn Valley was marked by the grim battlements of Rait, Cawdor, Kilravock and Daviot castles. The tower at Kilravock Castle was built in the mid 1400’s. The mansion house was added in 1553, and the main staircase and corridors plus the west wing were added during the 1700’s. The powdering closets in the corners of the historic castle bedrooms were also added at this time. Livingroom at Kilravock Castle These were used by the men of this era to powder their wigs, hence the term “powder room”. Miss Elizabeth Rose, the 25th and present baroness, gave the castle and environs into the ownership of the Kilravock Castle Christian Trust in 1984. June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

Hunting—Modern Hunting—Ancient Red—Modern

There were examples of the Rose tartan on display and we wanted to purchase a piece of the tartan fabric to frame. The clerk told us that the Rose tartan is hard to find, and this was borne out when the only fabric we could find in the Rose tartan was a knitted scarf. After returning home, I ordered two 100 percent wool scarves from a website in the U.S. These are made out of the same material as kilts, so we can frame them or wear them.

Christine Mackay, the proprietor of the castle, conducted the tour. It was very interesting. She told us the names of the people in the portraits and the stories about their lives. We started in the dining room, then went into the large living room where the family would have spent quite a bit of time. These rooms were on the main floor. On the second floor we went through the bedrooms that at one time were available as part of the B&B accommodations. However, they can no longer be used because of the new fire regulations in Scotland.

We climbed the old narrow, stone stairs to the upper story. There was a large room with stone walls and timber flooring that covered the entire top floor. This room was where Mary Queen of Scots stayed when she visited the castle in 1562. The room was very cold and dark—it was quite depressing. June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

The Roses of Scotland

Clan Rose traces its origin to a man named deRos, a Norman knight, who emigrated from Normandy to the Moray Firth area early in the thirteenth century along with two other Normans, deBosco and deBisset. DeRos was granted the Geddes lands in Strathnairn and deBisset the Kilravock lands. DeRos later acquired Kilravock through marriage. Scotland was a turbulent area and this a turbulent era. The Scottish kings in Edinburgh deliberately fostered the feu- dal system whereby the King owned all land and granted it to his chosen followers.

Strathnairn was very much a part of the Highlands where a different system was in vogue than in Edinburgh. The old Highland Clan was a family in which the Chief acted as the father of his people. The members of the clan followed him into war, obeyed him in matters of justice, and the Loyalty he received was by consent of the family (or clan). Further, in contrast to the Lowlands, Gaelic was the common tongue, the kilt (or plaid) was the common form of dress, and the pipe and the harp were the common source of music. John (Macdonald), Lord of the Isles, was the ac- cepted sovereign in the Highlands and openly challenged rule by the Scottish King. Even though the King had granted the Norman knights their lands, they were compelled to adjust to their environment. To the King, deRos was a Baron; to the Highlanders, deRos was the Chief of Clan Rose.

The Kilravock Line

Clan Rose included all of the descendants of the knight deRos: the baronetcy and role of Chief was restricted to the first son of each generation. The Kilravock line, therefore, includes only 25 individuals (23 men and two women) ex- tending from Hugh, Kilravock I in 1280 to the present Elizabeth, Kilravock XXV. But there were other sons and daughters as well. Indeed, there are many intersections into the Kilravock line -- and now the Rose Family or Clan Rose is worldwide.

June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

The Tradition of Kilravock

It is with justification that one historian describes Clan Rose as "Men of Peace from Nairn." On the mantelpiece in the old Dining Hall of Kilravock Castle are these words:

Religion-Justice-Truth-Mercie And-The-Exercise-Of-The-Fear-Of-God Are-Surer-Preservers-Of-A-Familie Than-Al-The-Other-Methods-And Measures-In-The-World Black Watch Tartan Historically, although men of peace, religion and honor, men of the Rose Clan have not hesitated to serve their countries in time of war. Colonel Hugh Rose, Kilravock XXIV, commanded the Black Watch for many years. His son and Chief apparent gave his life with the Black Watch in North Africa in World War II. The Roses in America also have military records that have seldom been surpassed.

Black Watch June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) spent four days at Kilravock Castle before the battle of Culloden. Then soon after his enemy, the Duke of Cumberland, visited the castle as well. I wasn’t really impressed that the Rose family could so easily play host to these two men who were bitter enemies. I guess they wanted to keep their options open. We climbed down more narrow stone stairs to the main level of the castle. Christine also told us about the garden and left us to tour it on our own.

The Gardens

Garden lawns and flowering plants

Stables where our rooms were located - the walls were at least 2 feet thick, leaving a lot of depth in the windows. June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

Clava Cairns

After we completed the tour, we drove to the Clava Cairns to visit the stones in Diana Gabaldon’s books (called Craig N’Dun in her books). The weather was very nice. The sun was shining, but it was cool enough that we kept our jackets on.

The Clava Cairns, or more correctly Bulnaraun of Clava, is the site of exceptionally well-preserved prehistoric burial cairns built about 4,000 years ago during the Bronze Age. The cairns probably date from the late Neolithic period, and this type of cairn seems to be a style developed in this part of Scotland that are collectively known as Clava Cairns. Evidence suggests that these cairns were reserved for more elite members of a tribe, perhaps a priesthood, unlike other Neolithic tombs. Around 2000 BC a row of large cairns was built. Three of these large cairns still exist, and it is possible that there were two more that have disappeared over time. Two of the passage ways are aligned to the Midwinter sunset. About 1,000 BC the cemetery was reused with some bodies being buried in the existing cairns. Three smaller monuments were built at that time, including the “kerb cairn”. No traces of bodies were found during archeo- logical excavations in the area. June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

Clava Cairns

Entrance to one of the tombs

Is this where Clair went through the stones? June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

Culloden

After our tour of the Clava Cairns we continued on to Culloden which was only a few miles away. On the way there it started to rain and it was cold and windy when we arrived. We stopped for tea in the Tourist Information Centre, and looked at all the souvenirs available in the tourist shop. Then we purchased our tickets for the tours of the interpretive centre and the battlefield. As we walked through the interpretive centre, the battle was recounted through video, etc. There were two accounts, the Jacobite account and the Government account. The Jacobite account was on the left side as you walked through. There was a lot of information for both groups so we concentrated on the Jacobites. The account given of the battle was quite interesting and very clearly pre- sented. We came away with an excellent understanding of the conditions faced by the Jacobites and the reasons they lost the battle after winning all the previous encounters with government forces.

As we stepped out onto the battlefield, we used the audiophones provided to us that explained the particular events of the battle that occurred at specific places on the battlefield. It was very interesting but I felt that the presentation really changed the experience of walking the paths where so many people lost their lives. The last time I was at Culloden I studied the events leading up to the battle, the details of the battle itself, and the background of the Jacobite struggle before I went to the battlefield. As I walked the paths and read the names on the grave markers I could feel what seemed to be the spirits of the soldiers who died there gathered around, espe- cially the Jacobite soldiers. I was disappointed for Julie as well because I had told her of my experience there and I had really hoped that she could experience that as well. The Battlefield—very harsh landscape landscape harsh Battlefield—very The cobites were rein- Jacobite army turned back to but his officers discouraged lian, and served in the clan regi- was their lack of trained officers my to try regain Scotland for from the west highlands. One of d James Stuart, or III, and re losses at the Battle of Cullo- uld have happened if they had Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie army was made up of Highlanders, of Highlanders, up made was army majority of the Highlanders were lry and artillerymen. The officers my had been successful in their clan gentlemen who carried more or “clansmen”, who made up the e campaign the Ja gulars. The government army was ses and aristocracy.

Scotland, which led up to the seve den. The Jacobites were supporters of Battle of Culloden Battle of Culloden Prince Charlie), the son of exile fought in Bonnie Prince Charlie’s ar James III. The bulk of the Jacobite who were mostly volunteers. The either Catholic or Scottish Episcopa ments which were recruited mainly the problems with the Jacobite army – these officers were made up of arms than the common soldiers, bulk of the regiment. Later in th forced with units of French re made up of trained infantry, cava were from the upper clas Up until Culloden, the Jacobite ar campaign. Bonnie Prince Charlie had lead his army into England and would have marched on London this move. I often wonder what wo continued on to London – would the history of England have changed dramatically? However, the June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d) (Cont’d) June 19—Kilravock June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

The Jacobite soldiers were short of supplies and exhausted whereas Cumberland’s troops were well fed and well rested. Murray, the Jacobite commander, decided to launch a night attack on the government forces. Murray led the march to avoid government outposts. The Jacobite troops were forced to march cross country at a very slow pace, resulting in confusion and disorder. Bonnie Prince Charlie set out from another direction. When the Jacobites arrived at the point where the government forces were camped, Murray felt the hour was too late to launch an attack. However, when one of his men rode to inform the Prince that the attack had been postponed, he missed him in the dark. Therefore, 1/3 of the army withdrew to their camp, and the other 2/3 continued towards their original objective, unaware of the change of plan. Not long after the exhausted Jacobite forces made it back to Culloden, reports came of the advancing government army. By then, many Jacobite soldiers had dispersed in search of food, while others were asleep in ditches and outbuildings. Early that morning, the rested government army struck camp and set off towards the moorland around Culloden. At about 11:00 in the morning the two armies were within sight of each other with about 2 miles of open moorland between them. As the government soldiers ad- vanced across the moor, the driving rain and sleet blew from the northeast right into the faces of the exhausted Jacobite army. Miscommunication, exhaustion, the weather, the moorlands, all contributed to the massacre of the Jacobite army. Bonnie Prince Charlie managed to escape. The army split into two – the Low- land regiments who headed southwards, and the Highland regiments, who retreated down the road to Inverness. June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

The Highland army was a perfect target for the government dragoons. Total Jacobite casualties during the battle were about 2,000 killed or wounded. Many more were massacred as they tried to escape the battlefield after the battle had ended - the government troops were ordered to “give no quarter”. The bodies of the Jacobite soldiers were left where they lay, and eventually most were buried on the battlefield itself along with soldiers from the government forces. If any of the Jacobite soldiers escaped from the battlefield, they were eventually arrested and imprisoned, with more than a hundred being executed, 936 transported, 222 banished from the country, and 382 exchanged for English prisoners of war held in France. Eventually 905 prisoners were released under the Act of Indemnity of 1747. Of the 3,471 Jacobite prisoners recorded, the fate of 648 is unknown.

After the Battle of Culloden, the Hanoverian government crushed the clans by imposing strict laws disallowing the wearing of kilts, forbidding the use of Gaelic, and wiping out the clan system of government and loyalties. It took many years for the traditions and language of the Highlanders to emerge from the isolated Scottish highlands. June 19—Kilravock (Cont’d)

Charles Edward Stuart made his way towards the Hebrides after he fled the battle. After spending a few days on the west coast of Scotland, he left in a small boat and made his way to the Outer Hebrides. For five months Stuart crisscrossed the Hebri- des, constantly pursued by government forces, under threat from local lairds who were tempted to collect the £30,000 reward on his head. He met Flora Macdonald who aided him in an escape to Skye where he boarded one of two small French Prince Charles Edward Stuart ships bound for France. He never returned to Scotland, and the Stuarts were never a threat to the Scottish throne again. The Stuart royal family finally died out a few generations later.

Hugh Rose of Kilravock, 16th Baron, entertained Charles Edward Stuart and the Duke of Cumberland respectively on the 14th and 15th of April 1746, before the Battle of Culloden. Stuart's manners and deportment were described by his host as most engaging. Having walked out with Mr. Rose, before sitting down he watched trees being planted. He remarked, "How happy, Sir, you must feel, to be thus peaceably em- ployed in adorning your mansion, whilst all the country round is in such commo- tion." Kilravock was a firm supporter of the house of Hanover, but his adherence to the Jacobites was not solicited, nor were his preferences alluded to, in his con- versations with Bonnie Prince Charlie. The next day, the Duke of Cumberland called at the castle gate, and when Kilravock went to receive him, he bluffly ob- served, "So you had my cousin Charles here yesterday." Kilravock replied, "What am I to do, I am Scottish", to which Cumberland replied, "You did perfectly right."

In 1881, Duncan Forbes erected the headstones that mark the mass graves of fallen Jacobite soldiers. June 18—Kilravock (Cont’d)

Leanach Cottage

The original farmhouse of Leanach survived the battle and has been restored several times. The roof is heather thatched, a traditional Highland craft.

As Julie and I walked back to the Visitor Center it started to rain. We walked up onto the roof where you can look out over the entire battlefield when the rain started to come down really hard and the cold winds started blowing really strong. We could sympathize Leanach Cottage with the Jacobite army who had to fight a battle under those same conditions. June 18—Kilravock (Cont’d)

We returned to the Visitor Center and had tea in the cafete- ria. Then we left Culloden with the intent of finding a place to eat supper near Kilravock Castle. However, as usual we got lost and ended up on the road to Inverness. We stopped at the mall in Inverness and I bought supplies for mailing packages home, hair products, etc. We then drove out of Inver- ness towards our Culloden and Kilravock Castle. I didn’t like driving in areas where there was a lot of traffic – it made me Culloden Visitor Centre very nervous because I didn’t know where I was going. Other than that, driving on the left side of the road wasn’t too bad and our car was really nice to drive.

We headed for the village of Cawdor, near Cawdor Castle, and the Tudor-style Cawdor Tavern, where we stopped for supper. We had a beer in the pub – I had been to Cawdor Tavern with the Cosmos tour so it was familiar. We had supper in the restaurant and we were both very impressed with the meal. We had steak pie and bread and butter pudding with a caramel sauce – it was wonderful! Cawdor Tavern

June 18—Kilravock (Cont’d)

Cawdor Tavern was originally the workshops of Cawdor Castle, and it serves the very best food in the world! Their menu includes fresh local foods, fish and meat dishes, perfectly cooked vegetables, and the most awesome desserts you have every eaten. After we finally tore ourselves away from our incredible meal and drove to Kilravock Castle.

When we drove into the parking area, the young clerk came out and told us that Carla had phoned. He had told her that he would have us call her, so he phoned her and had her phone us back Cawdor Castle Gardens so the phone call wouldn’t be put on our bill. Carla was checking to see how our trip was going and she wanted to let us know that she would meet us at our B&B in Plymouth at 10:00 the morning after our arrival there.

We went to our respective rooms and I washed clothes and pre- pared my packages for mailing to Canada. I decided to send them by sea so they wouldn’t arrive home before I did – it would take 3 to 6 weeks for them to travel by sea. I also found the cost of sending them airmail too expensive. The clerk quoted me about £100 and the cost was half to send them by sea.

Inverness Traffic LostALot

June 20—Kilravock (Cont’d)

What a day! We got lost so many times! That is why my new name is Trish .

The day started at 6:00 am when I awoke and had a bath and washed my hair. I would have preferred a shower, but the bathroom only had a tub. I was ready to go for breakfast when Julie came and called on me. Inverness Traffic Circle and We were seated at the same table for breakfast again this morning. We had the Full Scottish breakfast. The weather was nice, warm and sunny.

We decided to bite the bullet and drive into Inverness. It was quite early, so I was hoping that traffic wasn’t too bad yet. We wanted to find the Rose tartan so we could place it in a picture frame. When we arrived, we drove into the town center and found the new Eastgate Shopping Centre immediately. We drove down into the Car Park and parked the car. We noted what level we were parked on and took the elevator up into the shopping centre. The mall is huge, with stores like Debenhams, H&M, Marks & Spence, Boots, and lots of small boutique-type stores.

The shopping centre is designed in a confusing manner, as you can see by the image on the right. It has wings that go out into many different direc- tions, and it was very easy to get lost. We came across a post office so I mailed my parcels to my work address. We then went in search of Rose clan tartan fabric but we only found a knitted scarf that you wear with a winter coat. I got Keith a MacLeod pin to put on his kilt or tartan—it was very nice. June 20—Kilravock (Cont’d)

After we were finished shopping we went to the elevator bank that led to the car park. We took the elevator down to Level 1 because that was where we had parked the car. We walked to where we were sure we had parked it and it was- n’t there! We walked and walked around searching for the car for about a ½ to ¾ hour. We were so stressed that we were almost crying. We were convinced the car had been stolen. We took the elevator up to the main level and en- countered the security office, so I told one of the security guards that we thought our car was stolen. He immediately asked to see our parking slip. He knew right away what the problem was. We were in the wrong car park! There Car Parks are two car parks beneath the shopping centre, and I am sure security per- sonnel encounter people who have lost their cars all the time. Whoever heard of two car parks beneath one mall? We were so relieved – we took the elevator to the correct car park and found our car with no problem. We just about kissed it, and we quickly drove out of the car park.

After leaving the car park, we were really stressed. We decided to return to Kilravock Castle and lay down for awhile. At 5:30 Julie came to my room and said we should go for supper. We decided to go to Cawdor Tavern because we had such a good experience there the night before. Of course, we immediately got lost again! Imagine our surprise when we ended up in Inverness! We were so frustrated to be getting lost so much, but I guess that is all a part of the experience of renting a car and driving in an area that you aren’t familiar with. It is definitely not fun though if you let it bother you, which we did. A compass would have really helped but of course we didn’t have one. June 20—Kilravock (Cont’d)

We finally found the tavern and had a wonderful supper. It was very busy and people kept coming in for supper, prob- able because it was Saturday night. The food was wonderful as usual. The best place in the world to eat is Cawdor Tavern. The weather was sunny and warm and the food is always very good.

I will never forget the road past Culloden. We went by Cullo- den battlefield about 5 or 6 times a day because we were lost so much. We were back and forth, back and forth, seeing those blue and red flags flying in the wind, and saying “Oh, here’s Culloden again.” Culloden Moor—Site of the Battlefield After supper we drove home and I outlined our route on the map for the next day. We were driving to Glasgow so it would be a long day. I just hoped that we wouldn’t get lost again.