The road to Stroma

Boat and house

The A9 north from Inverness to the very top of the Scottish mainland is a road I know well. Very rarely have I stopped en route, however, and never have I taken the time to explore some of the nooks and crannies that lie often very close to the main road.

From pretty towns to little known historical sites, all standing testimony to the tough history of the area, it’s a route well worth lingering over. Indeed, the recently branded North Coast 500 road (of which the A9 from Inverness to John O’Groats forms the eastern part) has now encouraged many people to do so.

In July 2017 I undertook a road trip that allowed me to stop off and see some of these sights, learn a little about the impact the NC500 has had on the area, and notch up a few places for future visits.

The absolute highlight and core purpose of the journey, however, was a day trip to Stroma, an uninhabited island just off the north coast of Caithness, finally depopulated in the 1960s after decades of decline.

Read each of the posts in the collection below, and see my photo set on Flickr.

A brief stop in Helmsdale | The Sinclair Mausoleum | The Whaligoe Steps | Stroma | The new John O’Groats

 

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