Ross-shire

History

This is a land where you can step back in time and empathise with your ancestors. It’s where elemental forces of tides, weather and rock predominate and the clamour of modern life fades into insignificance. When you walk through Ross shire, in the east or in the west, you are surrounded by clues to the past, many of which have still to be deciphered. The area is strewn with ancient monuments that have never been put on the record books. When you come here and step away from the modern comforts of cars and centrally heated buildings you become an explorer of times past. What appears to be an innocuous pile of rubble could contain key elements which would alter historians’ understanding of our past.

So far there is no evidence that people lived here before the end of the last ice age 9,000 years ago. Some archaeologist believe there probably were humans this far north maintaining their traces would have been wiped out by the same movements of melting glaciers which sliced the alpine peaks off the mountains and gave them their distinctive, rounded shape and endless plateaux.

Fortunately there are museums throughout the area which help you in your quest to patch together a coherent tapestry of Ross-shire’s history. If you visit Ullapool museum (www.ullapoolmuseum.co.uk) which is housed in a Grade A listed building in the centre of the village you will get information about ancient times, read important historical documents and see photographs from two centuries ago. There are also soapstone bowls which were left by Vikings. The museum also charts the rise and demise of the fishing industry and the turbulent times known as the Highland Clearances during which whole communities where forced from their land.

Having done a little background research you can head out of the village. There are archaeological remains of settlements dating back to the Bronze Age and the remains of several Iron Age forts such as the one at Dun Canna a few miles north of Ullapool. These sites can be interesting places to visit. Even when all that is left of the early buildings is a pile of stones the sites the ancients chose to settle on have retained a beauty and atmosphere which is enhanced by their proximity to fresh water and fertile fishing grounds.

The west coast was home to the Celts who spoke Gaelic. Although the language has been perched on the edge of obsolescence it is now enjoying a renaissance which is supported by the existence of several Gaelic Medium primary schools throughout Ross-shire where children enjoy a bi-lingual education. South of Ullapool, down a meandering dramatic coastal road is the village of Gairloch which is home to another independent museum. (www.gairlochheritagemusem.org.uk). There you will find comprehensive displays depicting traditional highland occupations like crofting and fishing alongside ancient artefacts and historical documents.

Easter Ross has a gentler landscape characterised by flatter, more fertile farmland and a string of coastal villages. This area was predominately populated by Picts rather than Celts. It is worth paying a visit to Rosemarkie which is 15 miles from Inverness. Here you will find the Groam House Museum which displays a comprehensive range of Pictish stones from the 8th and 9th centuries during which time the village was a centre for Christianity. A few miles along the coast is the village of Cromarty which has the Courthouse Museum (www.cromarty-courthouse.org.uk). Here you will be able to see comprehensive displays of the town’s history and you can witness the re-enactment of a trail from 1770 which is played out by authentic models, and a dramatic sound track.

Of course the Highlands is known for its castles and there many which are still inhabited. Castle Leod in Strathpeffer is home to the Earl and Countess of Cromartie and dates back to medieval times. In Strathpeffer itself you will come across grand Victorian villas which were built as the town became renowned for its spa. You can visit the old pump room, see how the spa operated and even taste the sulphurous waters.

For a long time those who remained in the Highlands when their relatives had long departed for the new world concerned themselves with getting out of their traditional houses into less draughty, warmer buildings. Now the Highlands is beginning to be repopulated and there is renewed interest in built heritage. You will see renovated buildings which are home to those who want a lifestyle spanning centuries. Some castles are beyond repair and stand as enduring testimony to a turbulent history whose people were as wild as the elements which shaped their landscape.