View Full Version : Cromarty area - the Black Isle
percy toboggan
20-Jun-08, 18:51
What's it like?
Worth a visit.
It's suitably out of the way for me.
Also...Portmahomack and Tain. Anyone with an opinion?
We're heading north soon I think...maybe not as far north as first thought.
What's it like?
Worth a visit.
It's suitably out of the way for me.
Also...Portmahomack and Tain. Anyone with an opinion?
We're heading north soon I think...maybe not as far north as first thought.
Ross-shire and the Black Isle good for holidays. Scenery within easy travelling distance, touristy places like Cromarty and Falls of Shin...and close-ups of rigs in at Invergordon for repair.
Something for everyone! :)
LOL - we are actually heading out that way tomorrow!
It's meant to be worth visiting, according to my hubby! :)
What's it like?
Worth a visit.
It's suitably out of the way for me.
Also...Portmahomack and Tain. Anyone with an opinion?
We're heading north soon I think...maybe not as far north as first thought.
Black Isle is fantastic countryside lots of little inlets and harbours loads to do as well Portmahomack the lighthouse and fab beach Tain Glenmorangie distillery well worth a visit and again loads of other things to do the pottery place is a particular favourite
enjoy Percy hope you make it
What's it like?
Worth a visit.
It's suitably out of the way for me.
Also...Portmahomack and Tain. Anyone with an opinion?
We're heading north soon I think...maybe not as far north as first thought.
Percy, its a beautiful area, but why stop at the Black Isle, make a real trip and head onwards to Caithness, its only about 2 hours more driving, I am sure there would be Orgers loving to meet you. :)
DeHaviLand
20-Jun-08, 20:47
What's it like?
Worth a visit.
It's suitably out of the way for me.
Also...Portmahomack and Tain. Anyone with an opinion?
We're heading north soon I think...maybe not as far north as first thought.
Black Isle? Absolutely ghastly! Seriously, I should know, I live there. Defo recommend you go somewhere else ;)
But Portmahomack and Tain are wonderful, you should go there!:D
Yesterday I was having tea with two retired ladies who grew up in the greater Manchester area. They got talking about The Black Isle and what a wonderful vacation spot it was. I'd trust their recommendation.
percy toboggan
20-Jun-08, 21:10
Thank you all.
This will be shortish trip of three to four days.
A small bonus, after France.
Nothing definite yet but thanks for the feedback.
Thank you all.
This will be shortish trip of three to four days.
A small bonus, after France.
Nothing definite yet but thanks for the feedback.There must be some Scottish blood flowing in your veins Percy. If you get the chance, visit Applecross, God's own indeed.
percy toboggan
20-Jun-08, 21:40
There must be some Scottish blood flowing in your veins Percy. If you get the chance, visit Applecross, God's own indeed.
We've been TBH....in 2004.
Traversing the 'Bealach-na-ba'; the pass of the cattle....a most wonderful road....I'd wanted to go there since 1982 when a trip for work fell through at the last minute. The route was legend - according to an auld boss of mine...the mighty Jack Gibson....a former County Durham Police Sergeant with hands like hams and a love of things Scottish.
He wasn't wrong either. It's a scarily remote place is Applecross. Alighting from the car my wife...whose eyes had been closed for at least some of the journey 'fell over' (tripped) and for a moment I thought she'd done serious damage to her ankle. Thoughts of an air-ambulance crossed my mind...even more scary than driving back via those twisting hairpins.
A splendid experience...if demanding for the faint hearted. if you're a Scot and you've never been to Applecross please remedy the situation a.s.a.p.
If you don't enjoy driving, or are not totally confident behind the wheel then let someone else do it.
We've been TBH....in 2004.
Traversing the 'Bealach-na-ba'; the pass of the cattle....a most wonderful road....I'd wanted to go there since 1982 when a trip for work fell through at the last minute. The route was legend - according to an auld boss of mine...the mighty Jack Gibson....a former County Durham Police Sergeant with hands like hams and a love of things Scottish.
He wasn't wrong either. It's a scarily remote place is Applecross. Alighting from the car my wife...whose eyes had been closed for at least some of the journey 'fell over' (tripped) and for a moment I thought she'd done serious damage to her ankle. Thoughts of an air-ambulance crossed my mind...even more scary than driving back via those twisting hairpins.
A splendid experience...if demanding for the faint hearted. if you're a Scot and you've never been to Applecross please remedy the situation a.s.a.p.
If you don't enjoy driving, or are not totally confident behind the wheel then let someone else do it.It would be great to see more of your experience of this beautiful place.
percy toboggan
20-Jun-08, 22:38
It would be great to see more of your experience of this beautiful place.
Really!
Well when I get the chance I'll dig out some Wallet & Grimace footage and put it on youtube.
Really!
Well when I get the chance I'll dig out some Wallet & Grimace footage and put it on youtube.That would be great Percy, will look forward to seeing that.
Hey Percy would love to see that - have done the Bealach-na-ba it was fantastic as is Applecross! Let us know if you do!
Percy, its a beautiful area, but why stop at the Black Isle, make a real trip and head onwards to Caithness, its only about 2 hours more driving, I am sure there would be Orgers loving to meet you. :)
Definately, if your coming this far then go the whole way up. only 2 more hours!
the charlatans
21-Jun-08, 06:09
We went to Applecross when we were bairns and I can still remember the road being mental. Beautiful area too. We had our Great Aunt with us and she said 'Well this is the nearest i'll ever be to God'.
Portmahomack and Tain are worth a good coat of looking at as is the bits of the Black Isle i have been to. Cromarty has an interesting history.
But tell me why is the Black Isle called the Black Isle? as a child i always thought of a big black island and couldn't understand why it wasn't.
cullbucket
21-Jun-08, 11:52
Theres not that much to do but you can take the ferry over from nigg to cromarty and have a few pints there. Back at Balintore there is a good little pub with a low roof fill o local worthies, cant remember the name but it is on the main street on the sea side. Go to Hill of Fearn and you will see the legendary altered sign - "Hill of Fear". You also have to remember a wee rhyme I was telt by someone from the black isle.... Cromarty for poverty, Rosemarkie for Pride, Fortrose for a bonny lass and Avoch for a ride...... Portmahomack is quaint but not much going on..... If your in the area, it would be an idea to nip over to bonar bridge and come back over the struie to evanton, that is a really nice drive. You could even stop for a pint at the Aultnamain Inn if its still open... (by this time, you should have the wife driving).... In Tain the best pub is tucked back down the hill from the main street, I believe it is called the Railway or something like that. Watch out for Charlie the Bear.
Oh yeah I almost forgot, I went to cromarty one time on a sunday afternoon for a walk around and decided to have a pint, lured in by the noise coming out of a pub (spot a common theme?) anyway, the place was absolutely packed and the locals were going mental on the kareoke machine...... reminds me of when foreign tourists are tempted into the newmarket on a sunday afternoon, shuffling in complete with backpacks, glasses and raincoats, they get lured in by the sound of the Johnny Fats Band only to encounter a bunch of blazing locals going mental.....
percy toboggan
24-Jun-08, 19:34
I'm afraid highly unusual events at work have left the trip to the Black Isle out of the question for now.
Thanks for all for the info though.
Ah well percy someday maybe!!! but you can view Portmohamack etc on Photography even Fearn Abbey courtesy of KCI excellent pics I may add and view a bit of Ross shire
Bakerbhoy
25-Jun-08, 10:15
Being a Balintore chick have to say there are no pubs open there anymore, what a disaster!!!! Nearest pub is now Fearn. The area is really nice though, they have taken time and effort to make the sea front a bit of a feature. There is a path with some sculputres, salmon and a mermaid, made by a local artist. There is also a fab playpark for the kids. In the surrounding area you have Anta pottery, on the forad to Fearn and then Tain pottery just off the A9. There are some nice walks around there too. As for Portmohamack there is a golf course and a nice wee museum but can't for the life of me think what it is called. Well worth a visit when you get the chance.
We went to Applecross when we were bairns and I can still remember the road being mental. Beautiful area too. We had our Great Aunt with us and she said 'Well this is the nearest i'll ever be to God'.
Portmahomack and Tain are worth a good coat of looking at as is the bits of the Black Isle i have been to. Cromarty has an interesting history.
But tell me why is the Black Isle called the Black Isle? as a child i always thought of a big black island and couldn't understand why it wasn't.
The name "Black Isle" is taken from the gaelic. In gaelic 'island' and 'peninsula' mean the same thing - it's a mistranslation that has stuck. Also it's "black" due to the rock underneath - according to legend it was the gizzen briggs fairies who turned it into the farmland you see today.
At least, I think that's how it came about.
percy toboggan
29-Jun-08, 00:52
Ah well percy someday maybe!!! but you can view Portmohamack etc on Photography even Fearn Abbey courtesy of KCI excellent pics I may add and view a bit of Ross shire
We made it...after even more bizarre events at work.
Went up on Wednesday just in time for some really good weather.
We liked it all, but the highlights were sitting in the b & b garden in Cromarty conversing with an elderly neighbour for ages...and a visit to
Portmahomack - not on the Black Isle at all - which is a lovely place. We had a mouth-watering view from our digs and it was a wrench to leave.We might be back later in the year...dunno.
Arrived home at 9.00pm. tonight after a long ten hour drive home via Kyle of Lochalsh !...long story. no doubt I'll be writing it when re-energised.
percy toboggan
29-Jun-08, 20:17
....some unexpected spare time led us to make the trip...a longish written account with links to a few photo's too.
Can't get in to see the photies, I'm afraid, PT..........asking for your login.
But it sounds as if you had a good time. I have been in Cromarty and Tain, but not anywhere else in that area bar Alness and Invergordon, courtesy of cousin in Newmore.
percy toboggan
30-Jun-08, 09:19
[quote=Oddquine;402086]Can't get in to see the photies, I'm afraid, PT..........asking for your login.....
quote]
Sorry Oddquine, it's a pest when that happens.
I've re-visited it and fixed the link, I think. Also added a pic or two to the text itself.
http://t0boggan.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/suspension-leads-to-discovery/
Hi Percy - you'll have to try 'futher north' next time!
I visited the Portmahomack area for the first time last month and was completely taken with the area. I have always just driven through those latitudes on the way North, without stopping. Boy have I missed out. I shall be doing some exploring. Applecross sounds interesting!
percy toboggan
01-Jul-08, 14:16
I visited the Portmahomack area for the first time last month and was completely taken with the area. I have always just driven through those latitudes on the way North, without stopping. Boy have I missed out. I shall be doing some exploring. Applecross sounds interesting!
Despite the lack of resolution to my work difficulties we today booked a lovely cottage on the waterfront at Portmahomack for a week in September - ish.
Neither of us can get the place out of our heads to be honest.
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