CULLODEN

Culloden battlefield and memorial.

Charles Edward Stuart, known as 'Bonnie prince Charlie' arrived in Scotland in 1745 to lead his supporters in a rebellion against the English rulers of the country. His supporters, known as Jacobites, came mainly from the Highland clans and tended to be Roman Catholic or Scottish Episcopalian. Charlie promised them support from the French and also expected many of the lowlanders to rise up to support him. The Jacobites had early successes, defeating a British force in Scotland and occupying Edinburgh before advancing to the south. After a few more minor successes they threatened London but, with rumours of a third Government army advancing to meet them, they retired back into Scotland.

An army, commanded by the Duke of Cumberland (son of King George II) and containing 5,000 Hessian soldiers began harassing the Jacobites forces. They wintered near Adedeen and even practised new tactics, such as advancing with bayonets attached to their rifles. The Duke was well liked by the soldiers and they were well equipped and supplied. The Government army advanced along the coast road so that it could be resupplied by the navy. On the 15th April 1746 they camped near Nairn and celebrated the Duke's birthday.

The Jacobite army at this stage was facing many problems. The commanders didn't trust each other and many of the clansmen had slipped away to their homes. They were porly equipped and were on half rations. The night of the 15th they attempted a night attack on the Duke's army but when many were slowed down in the boggy conditions and lost their way the attack was called off.

The next morning the Government army, having been well rested, advanced toward Culloden Moor. It stood at around 8,000 troops. The Prince's army of 7,000 troops, was tired from its night march and a sizeable number of the men had gone off to forage for food. There were also arguments between clans and the McDonalds were offended because they had been put on the left flank instead of the position of honour on the right flank.

Finally on the 16 April 1746 the two forces met on at Culloden, a moor overlooking Inverness. The ensuing battle was quick and bloody. It only lasted an hour. The McDonalds refused to charge and the rest of the line was hampered by the boggy conditions and the Government forces were able to firstly decimate them with gunfire and then repel their charge. Between 1,500 and 2,000 Jacobites were killed or wounded, while less than 300 Government troops met the same fate. This was the last pitched battle ever fought on British soil.

Memorial erected on the battlefield.

Culloden Moor

Plaques at Culloden show the disposition of troops at the battle

Government troops stayed behind a wall and poured shot into the flank of advancing highlanders

Replica of farm buildings on the edge of Culloden battlefield

HIGHLAND CATTLE

In the Highland of Scotland they have a breed of cattle which are a little smaller and have a shaggy coat and long horns. They have been bred to suit the harsh conditions of the Scottish Highlands. The coats keep them warm in severe winters, and the long horns enable them to scratch inn the snow for covered grass and plants. These cattle will also fed on the low branches of shrubs and trees. Back in the eighteen century they came in a variety of colours -black, brindle, red, yellow and dun.

The cattle were a valuable income for the Highlanders. Drovers would take them to a meeting, known as a tryst, down at Crief or Falkirk. Here they were sold as meat for the English towns or to be salted as beef for the English navy. The drovers would move the cattle 10 to 12 miles a day to get to these meetings. They would move along tracks which Government and Jacobite troops probably used to move troops along during fighting in Scotland. Because cattle stealing was so common these drovers were allowed to carry weapons when everyone else was disarmed after the Jacobite Risings.

Although a group of cattle are called a herd, a group of Highland cattle are referred to as a fold, or in Scots a kyloes. Individuals stand about .9 to 1.1 metre in height and weight between 400 to 1,000 kilos. Their meat is slow-maturing and lean. It is low in cholesterol and fat but high in flavour and protein. Today Highland cattle can be found in Finland, North and South America and Australia. I have seen them in Victoria and Tasmania.

LOCH NESS

View of Urquhart Castle with Loch Ness in the background

Loch Ness is best known for the Loch Ness monster however it is the second largest Loch in Scotland by surface area, and the largest by volume. It is 37 kms long and 230 metres deep at its deepest point. It is a fresh water lake but the visibility is extremely low because of the high peat content seeping from surrounding soil. The loch is surrounded by beautiful scenery. 

I was going to visit the Loch but due to the holidays the cruises on the Loch weren't running and the Visitor's Centre was closed so I decided to leave it for a day and drive across to the west of Scotland. However on the way I stopped beside the Loch to take photos. After a few more stops and a stop at Urquhart Castle I realised I wasn't going to get to the west so instead spent the day driving around the Loch.

On the banks of the Loch is Urquhart Castle. It is a ruined castle, the ruins dating from between the 13th and 16th centuries. There was a fortification on that site before the castle was built. The Urquharts played a role in the Scottish Wars of Independence during the 14th century and the castle ended up being a royal strong hold. It was attacked a few times by the McDonald Clan but in 1509 it was granted to the Grants as a reward for their support of the king. The Mcdonalds continued to make attacks on the castle and at times it was further fortified. It was finally abandoned in the middle of the 17th century and then destroyed to stop its being occupied by the Jacobites. It is located on a headland overlooking the Loch. It was one of the largest castles in Scotland.

At the south west end of the Loch is the settlement of Fort Augustus. The small village has a population of less than 700 people. It used to be called Kiliwhimin until the Jacobite Rising in 1715. After the Risings General Wade built a fort here and the town was renamed Fort Augustus. It was seized by the Jacobites in 1745. In the late 1800s the Bendictine order established an Abbey and a school here but this eventually closed in 1998.

Loch Ness

Loch Ness

Loch Ness from Urquhart Castle

Urquhart Castle

Castle gates from the inside

Model of Urquhart Castle

Locks at Fort Augustus

Fort Augustus

The Abbey at Fort Augustus