WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menootanaboot; YAMster Leaves The Hutch; 5th Leg

Am I stretching my legs too far??? Well, when you dinnae get oot an' aboot all that much, you have to milk yer chances!!! To catch all the legs, click the 'trip' label at the bottom of the post.

The map again...

We left Tain and headed back south via the blue line. That is to say, via the A9 main road until we turned off to the shore route at Barbaraville. This took us down via Kilmuir Easter, where F was determined we should stop.

There is a church there that has fascinated her, but until this moment had not taken the time to stop and investigate. 

There are two distinct parts to the build, and she was sure that the steeple end must be very old. I rather think she might have thought it to be from the 13th or 14th century. I was not convinced and admit I rather thought more 18th or early 19th. As it turns out, though, and according to the Canmore website...


So 17th century was defined for the tower part and the 18th for the church itself.

Not interested in that and just want to see the piccies? Well, the YAMster had to go have a nosey around, didn't she? Does love a good bit of sacred ground, does this gal. The views from it were not that bad either.


















If you check back at last week's post and see the tollbooth roof, knowing it to have been built in the 1600s also, the similarity of the roof on this tower ought to have been a strong clue!!! Certainly worth the climb of those steps and a nosey around. And I could think of worse places to have one's final rest...

Now, this bit of the day is getting a post all of its own because it didn't stop here in the YAMster's brain! I had to find out more. There is an intriguing comment about the possibility of the lower part of the tower end being older than the 1616 marked date. To ascertain further info, I researched whether there was a Kilmuir Wester parish. 

Indeed there was! Although no longer existing other than some ruins and the graveyard. It is, however, a long way from Kilmuir Easter, being situated on the Moray Firth, quite close to Inverness. So all that links them is a similarity of name. Geographically, Easter is indeed further to the east than is Wester... However, that very interesting website states that K/Easter is likely to have had prebend (paid ministry) during the 15th century and likely earlier. The lower portion of this older part of the building shows a connection to known designs from medieval and Irish buildings.

So that was all somewhat diverting. From here, we returned to Alness via Invergordon - past the vast and rather unattractive port area. It's a deep harbour, which is why it was initially chosen for the oil rigs too. I find the rigs a good deal more attractive than those floating hotels.

We spent another pleasant evening catching up with cousin M before a relatively early night because all that fresh air and exercise had us yawning by nine! Back next Thursday with the last leg...



12 comments:

  1. That's a great swath of industry there.

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  2. Love the deep dive on the church. Things like that intrigue me. Thank you!

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  3. In general, lots of drilling platforms 'stacked' in the Cromarty Firth implies little drilling activity in the North Sea. Good or bad thing? Discuss!
    Cheers,Gail (not an expert on old churches but far too knowledgeable about the oil industry!)

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    1. Hari OM
      Indeed, all those rigs will be in for decommissioning. Nigg was once the place of building and now deconstructing. There seems to be no hurry on it, though. Some of these structures have been there for at least four years since I was last up that way! One or two may be only for maintenance... Yxx

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  4. that's a super fabulous tour... we love old graveyards, it sometimes is as if they old stones would like to talk with us...

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  5. i like that last photo, but must say I prefer the old church and old buildings over the industrial stuff. that church is beautiful.

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  6. Beautiful captures and interesting history!

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  7. Absolutely stunning views and such descriptive words. The photo of the field and water is breathtaking.
    Hugs Cecilia

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  8. We love reading about and seeing all the beautiful old buildings in your country. So much history to explore!

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  9. What gorgeous photos and we love all of the history!

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  10. Oh.My.Goodness!! You know I love the history and have bookmarked the links for future perusing!

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  11. Hi Yam - a fascinating area ... while the Church I'd have been looking closely at. Wonderful photo across the sea inlet - great 'landscape' image ... while the oil derricks are fascinating in the way you've photographed them. Brilliant - I'm enjoy these travels with you and family - cheers Hilary

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