June 28, 2018

June 28, 2018

Last night after a Paella dinner at a Spanish restaurant, we walked around downtown Inverness and window shopped. At a Kilt store, I was shocked at the weight and expense of a traditional kilt. On the plaza of the castle we watched the 'City of Inverness Pipe Band' practice for an upcoming competition.

This morning we drove a few miles east to Culloden Moor Battlefield. In the last week we have heard a lot about the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. For me the history has been falling on deaf ears. The Scots have been battling the English since Roman times. I was going to pass on this site, but it has gotten high reviews.

The Battlefield Museum helps explain its legacy. The Jacobite Rebellion was not only Scot vs English; it was also Catholic vs Protestant, Highland vs Lowland, English vs French, Stuart vs Hanoverian dynasty, combined with lifestyle change with the Industrial Revolution. This was the last of several Jacobite Revolts. Bonnie Prince Charlie plotting with the French took advantage of an English Army overstretched around the world. He had tremendous initial success, until the real British Army returned. His forces were routed here in one hour. I think the reason this cause resonates with modern Scots is that it changed Highland life forever. In the aftermath the English took vengeance wiping out the rebellion once and for all. They executed the leaders and exiled thousands to America. They overturned Clan Rule, forbade Highland customs and the Gaelic language. The Scottish Highlands were systematically depopulated. The museum was well done and made me more interested than I should have been.

Afterwards, we did an abbreviated tour of the actual battlefield. Clearly the Scots chose poorly for their last stand. It is mostly Moor or bog where the Highland Charge by Scottish Infantry was at a disadvantage.

From Culloden we drove to nearby Clava Cairns. This is a Neolithic burial site that consists of three large piles of stones. Two have passages to the center, while the third has no formal entrance. Scientists believe they originally had roofs. We saw similar Passage Tombs many years ago in Ireland.

Aimee wants to use her new rain pants, so we continued following the coastline north for three hours of winding roads. At Lands End the temperature dropped dramatically and we encountered maritime fog. Finally we have real Scottish weather!