The Middle Ages to 1750

Gaelic in the History of the Seaboard Part 1: the Middle Ages to 1750 Last year I wrote a series about local place-names, which we got from Scandinavian, Pictish, Gaelic, and English or Scots . (You can get this on our new website now:...

Donnie Vass – Shandwick Poem

Shandwick   To Shandwick Bay you must go, If nature’s grandeur you pursue. Go there in the morning When the sun is breaking through, To glisten on the golden sands To sparkle on the Moray Firth. Where off we set our lines In days of youth and mirth, Or eaten of...

The Gravy Trail Story

The Gravy Trail   One summer many years ago when in my early twenties I was at home in Hilton on holiday from work.  It was a beautiful day and as I often did I set out to walk along the shore as far as the salmon-fishers bothy. There is a wide grassy strip...

Tighnamara Yacht

“A RICH MAN’S PLAY THING” A quote from Kendall McDonald reads, “The luxury steam yacht Tighnamara was a fine example of what Scottish shipbuilders could do when backed by copious quantities of Victorian money.” Tighnamara was launched...

Gaelic History in the Seaboard Villages

Davine Sutherland, originally from Hilton has written a series of blog posts regarding the use of Gaelic in Scotland. Davine heard Gaelic spoken by her grandparents’ generation as a child, she has had a lifelong love of Gaelic song and has studied Gaelic...

Village Wells

The Village Wells Before the Seaboard Villages were connected to the mains water supply it was an everyday occurrence to meet someone either going to, or coming from the well. When I was very young there were few wells which supplied the villagers needs but in later...

Simple Folk

The Simple Folk We hear much nowadays of the affluent society and at no time is this more evident than during the annual Christmas shopping spree. The larger stores are stocked with goods of all kinds and lavish amounts are spent on gifts which the buyer is not really...

Granny’s house

GRANNY’S HOUSE   Granny’s house was in the same street as my own home, just two hundred yards away. As a young child I spent much time there with my brothers and sisters, we played lots of games indoors and outdoors. Granny had a large garden at the back and a...

Washing Day

WASHING DAY Having to cope with family washing is no problem for the modern housewife. Her automatic machines will do the washing while she gets on with other tasks. Should the weather be adverse, the tumble dryer can also be brought into use. All will be clean and...