After sharing a drink and our golf highlights with Laurel, we left Castle Stuart and headed to the Culloden Battlefield and Museum. However, on the way, a jaunt that should have taken fifteen minutes, there was a glitch. As we were winding through the hills and dales from Inverness to our destination, Ken was having van trouble, so he pulled off to the left side of the road just short of a busy round-about.
Apparently, we were in a small city he was familiar with, so Ken got on his phone, and before you knew it, we were soon whisked up by a friend in another van. I guess we just abandoned Ken to deal with his dilemma without us! So off we headed to the Culloden Battlefield and Visitors Center. Our plan was to go ahead with the tour and hopefully Ken would arrive by the time we were finished. This was our first and only transportation hiccup.
The staff punched our tickets upon entry to the new Visitors Center, and we began the walking tour discovering the history of the Jacobites and the government unrest. We read the history written in displays upon the walls and saw munitions from the time preserved and presented. The tension in 1746 builds to the point of the conflict on this Culloden land we now stood. We then walked into a medium-sized room where all four walls realistically showed a lifelike video re-enaction of the battle in surround sound and vision. It graphically showed this bloody conflict, conveying the noise, terror, and confusion of the massacre. Unforgettable and not for young kids.
Outside, we walked the perimeter of the marked battlefield. The day was sunny with some wind, but the serenity of this field was a juxtaposition to that horrific day for the Jacobite and opposition forces. It was a solemn awakening and a reminder of the awful aftermath of war.
As we departed the battlefield exhibit, anticipating our next move, our mood was somewhat lightened as we observed the most amazing animals outside behind a fence: two long-haired ginger Highland cattle, very large in stature (I have read one can weigh between 1,100-1,800 lbs), with amazing horns – appearing to be as wide from tip to tip as it is tall – (3-4 feet)! They were right in front of us, right on the edge of the fence — what a sight, these calm, somehow ‘cute’, massive long-haired cows.
Time to head out, the place was just closing, and we couldn’t get ahold of Ken to plan our return to Nairn.
Fortunately, when you are surrounded by industrious people, ideas start popping! Of course, a city bus stopped right in front of the Culloden property. Laurel ran over, and yes, we could hop on for the 30-minute ride to Nairn. Laurel paid our fare and we hopped on the bus.
This large city bus went on a scenic route through remote parts of hillside villages that we never would have normally passed. There was even a 10-minute stop to wait for any commuter who wanted to catch the late afternoon bus – the last of the day. Not to miss an opportunity, Val and Laurel got off and made a quick visit to the historic cemetery across the street from where we were parked.
The bus dropped us off in Nairn at the bus depot near The Classroom Bistro where we had eaten two nights before. We walked the few blocks back to our hotel and surprise – there was Ken with our golf clubs! He had missed us at the battlefield by just five minutes! Somehow his van had been quickly repaired (we suspected it may have been out of gas), and all was well.
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