Mike Clark’s wonderful writings about some of Scotland’s rich heritage
“What do the adjacent castles of Sinclair and Girnigoe, on the outskirts of Wick, Caithness, have in common with The Valley of the Kings and the Great Wall of China?” How the World Monuments Fund is drawing attention to the imminent collapse of two historic Caithness castles.
“Twelve years ago, I found a Jack Russell, late on a summer Sunday evening, quite unconcernedly chasing a paper bag along the middle of a public road, close by the car park of a popular local forest walk. Fortunately, there was little in the way of traffic. So little, in fact, that the car park was empty. Totally devoid of any potential owners. And the dog was collarless and completely anonymous.” How Mike met his four-legged friend Bisto.
“Droves of cattle once made the strength-sapping journey from the Highlands of Scotland over the Eastern Cairngorms to the markets of Crieff and Falkirk. The Highland weather was just too severe for over-wintering cattle.” Mike takes a hike along the old drovers’ paths around Loch Muick in the Eastern Cairngorms.
Gavin Maxwell, author of Ring of Bright Water, died in September 1969. Eighteen months earlier his house, which he called Camusfearna and had been home to the writer and his otters for so long, was destroyed by fire. Now, more than three decades later, Mike Clark tells how the Bright Water landscape has dramatically altered.
“One of Aberdeenshire’s finest, Drum Castle was bequeathed to the National Trust for Scotland in 1975, by Henry Irvine, 24th Laird of Drum. That’s a whole lotta Lairds.” Mike looks back at the long and proud history of one of Aberdeenshire’s finest castles.
“The previous evening, the lugger Crooked Mary had landed her cargo of contraband. Now, under cover of darkness, the fisherwomen of Collieston put their creels to good use and began the trek to Ward, laden with gin.” Part Two – the sequel: the villagers of Collieston attempt to spirit away their booty.