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We’re excited to bring you another edition of ‘Hidden Scotland Weekly’. As always, we hope you enjoy reading and find inspiration for your next adventure.

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ISSUE 10 SPOTLIGHT - THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HIGHLANDS REVIVED

Inverness, the ‘Capital of the Highlands’ is starting to live up to its name. The past couple of years has seen a host of new developments and openings, but the most exciting launch is taking place this summer. The castle above the River Ness, under scaffolding since 2021, is re-opening as the Inverness Castle Experience, a world-class, state-of-the-art visitor attraction. Along with a burgeoning food and drink scene and somewhere seriously cool to stay at last, this small riverside town is coming into its own.

The Weeping Mermaid of Loch Assynt

The ruins of Ardvreck Castle stand like a sentinel keeping watch over the icy, black waters of Loch Assynt. You might hear the soft sound of sobbing as you wander around the edges of Loch Assynt and explore the ruins of the old castle. It might just be a trick of the wind but then again you might be hearing the legendary Mermaid of Loch Assynt.

The story goes that when the Chief of the MacLeods of Assynt was building Ardvreck Castle, he ran into a bit of financial trouble before the work had even been started. MacLeod was desperate to have a home befitting his station but he faced the prospect of not only having no castle, but having no home at all.

That was when a dark stranger approached him and offered to help build the castle, financing the whole thing himself. MacLeod couldn’t believe his luck but he was no fool, he knew there would be a catch. All he would need in return was the promise of MacLeod’s soul. That was when the clan chief realised he was dealing with the Devil and suddenly the arrangement didn’t sound quite as appealing. He did his best to negotiate a different payment but the Devil wasn’t budging.

This all changed when MacLeod’s daughter Eimhir walked in. The Devil changed his price from MacLeod’s soul to his daughter’s hand in marriage. It was a difficult decision but MacLeod wanted this castle badly and to his eternal shame, he accepted. Ardvreck Castle was built in a matter of days and now the Devil was ready to claim his side of the bargain.

Eimhir had no idea of the real identity of the groom but was given no choice in the matter and dutifully went along with the arrangement. The night before the wedding, MacLeod’s conscience got the better of him and he broke the news to Eimhir. He admitted who her betrothed truly was and saw the tears in his daughter’s eyes. She was distraught but there was no way of escaping before the ceremony the next day.

Rather than face marrying the Devil, Eimhir threw herself from the top tower of Ardvreck Castle and plunged into Loch Assynt below. Nobody believed that she could have survived the fall and the Devil was furious that he had been denied his prize. In his rage he caused huge rocks to fall from the sky in an attempt to destroy MacLeod’s land, leaving the boulders strewn across the landscape to be seen today.

Everybody assumed that Eimhir had died but her body was never found. Soon, people started to notice a weeping sound near the loch and occasionally the flick of a large tail disappearing under the water. Eimhir had transformed into a mermaid and kept herself hidden from the Devil in caves deep below the surface. The water level isn’t constant in Loch Assynt and it’s believed that when the loch begins to rise it’s due to the tears from the Mermaid of Assynt, weeping for the life that she was never able to live.

Story by Graeme Johncock

The Road To The Isle Of Skye

Graeme Johncock, the travel blogger and storyteller behind Scotland's Stories, is now bringing his adventures to us in a weekly column. He will journal about his explorations around Scotland, sharing fascinating stories and highlighting unique places to visit. Accompanied by his dog Molly, Graeme continues to uncover and share the rich history and beauty of Scotland.

The Isle of Skye is pretty high on the list for people visiting Scotland and rightly so! However, don’t be in such a wild rush to get there that you can’t enjoy all of the interesting things to see along the way. It’s logical to visit Inverness either before or after Skye and the route between the two is one of my absolute favourite road trips!

Loch Ness
15 minute drive from Inverness 

The name Inverness translates from Gaelic as “Mouth of the River Ness” and its not long until you’re driving alongside Scotland’s most famous loch! There’s a long lay-by with unrivalled views down all 23 miles of the enormous Loch Ness. Legend says that a monster is hiding somewhere below the surface of the water, nicknamed Nessie and reports go way back to the 6th century. There are still hundreds of sightings every single year and while I can’t promise one, there aren’t many better plaes to catch a glimpse!

Urquhart Castle
15 minute drive 

It’s hard to pass by Urquhart Castle without stopping. Not only is it one of the most important castles in Scottish history, it’s also a stunningly beautiful place. Dating back over 1500 years, it guards passage through the Great Glen against any threat trying to sail up Loch Ness. Fought over in the Wars of Independence, Urquhart was later given to Clan Grant who found themselves continuously fighting the west coast clans. Things came to a head in 1545 where the MacDonalds made off with around 8000 livestock along with anything else that would fit in their ships!

Invermoriston Falls
15 minute drive

Further along Loch Ness, Invermoriston Falls mark where Glen Moriston joins the Great Glen. Take a short walk from the car park to the old Summer House giving a stunning view across the tumbling waterfalls to the Old Bridge peeking out beneath the modern road crossing.

Lunch at Redburn Café
10 minute drive

Redburn Cafe might look small, but it produces some incredible food in that tiny space! Whether you’re looking for soup and a sandwich or a bigger meal, there are some great Scottish classics there! Best of all, during the summer there are usually Highland Cows in the field across the road to give you one more reason to stop here!

Memorial To Roderick Mackenzie
10 minute drive

If you didn’t know this was here, then you would drive right past it! A large cairn stands at the side of the main road commemorating Roderick Mackenzie, an unsung hero of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. He was an ordinary man who looked so similar to Prince Charles Stuart that he became his body double!

After the Battle of Culloden, Roderick was caught here in Glen Moriston by soldiers looking for Bonnie Prince Charlie. He played his part, but unfortunately the prince was wanted dead or alive! Roderick was killed and decapitated and if you cross the road you can still find his grave where his body was buried.

Battle Of Glenshiel Viewpoint
25 minute drive

In my opinion, the drive through Glenshiel is one of the best in all of Scotland. Mountains soar on either side as you weave along through the narrow valley and there are plenty of viewpoints to stop along the way. One layby is marked with crossed swords to show it’s the site of the Battle of Glenshiel. In 1719, 1400 Jacobites waited up the slopes here to ambush a government army as it marched along the pass. It was a disaster for the Jacobites and while casualties were light, defeat here ended this rising before it really got started.

Clachan Duich Burial Ground
5 minute drive

Picturesquely perched on the edge of Loch Duich, Clachan Duich is the ancient burial ground for Clan Macrae of Kintail. We know it’s been in use for at least 1000 years, but it most likely dates back even further than that! It’s well worth stopping even briefly to soak in the history.

Eilean Donan Castle
10 minute drive

Eilean Donan Castle might well be the most photographed building in Scotland outside of Edinburgh. It dates all the way back to the 13th century, although it became a ruin after government warships destroyed the fortress around the same time as the Battle of Glen Shiel. Thankfully, Lt Col Macrae-Gilstrap bought the castle and restored it in the early 1900s, building the iconic bridge in the process. It’s in a stunning spot and if you have the time then it’s very worth spending an hour or so wandering the halls!

Skye Bridge 
15 minute drive

Since 1995, there’s no need to get the ferry to Skye (unless you want to) after the building of the Skye Bridge. Today it’s free to cross and makes visiting the island far easier. Once over the bridge, it’s around 10 minutes to Broadford or 45 minutes to Portree depending on where you want to end the day!

A Room with a Sea View

Summer is here and with around 6,000 miles of golden sand and pebble- fringed coastline, the west coast a scribble of fjord-like inlets cradling deep sea lochs, Scotland has more than its share of dream locations for that holiday cottage just footsteps from the sea. And that’s without counting the 800 or so islands dotted off its shores...

There’s nothing quite like tumbling out of bed, flinging open the door and wandering down to the water’s edge to paddle in your PJs. Or grabbing your swimming costume and towel for an early morning swim. It might seem churlish to rule out all those quaint terraced fishermen’s cottages a few streets back from the seafront or a short walk down a country lane to a rocky cove, but you can’t beat a bothy – or a castle – right on the sand.

The Green Shed on the Hebridean island of Iona isn’t strictly on the beach - but it’s as good as. There’s nothing but a field of whispering grasses laced with vetch and blowsy cow parsley between this old youth hostel turned rustic retreat and the sheep-grazed dunes. Wandering barefoot through a wildlflower meadow buzzing with insects and butterflies down to the shimmering white sand beach for a late afternoon dip is magical.

On a working croft on the northernmost tip of the island and designed to resemble an agricultural shed it blends seamlessly into the landscape. Huge picture windows frame the field and sparkling sea beyond. The open-plan kitchen-dining-living area has a woodburner and comfy sofas. There’s no TV just shelves and shelves of books. It’s the perfect base for a wildlife-watching, beachcombing, old-fashioned bucket and spade holiday.

Another special place Saddell Castle a 16th-century tower on a remote beach on the Kintyre peninsula was restored by the Landmark Trust along with a handful of cottages curving around the bay. Again there’s no TV just books and board games - and arrow slits in the walls. You can build a bonfire on the beach, watch the sun set from the battlements, let the dogs run along the sand and go for a bracing dip just a flip-flop from your own fortress. It’s been closed recently for a little TLC but is about to re-open this summer.

There are so many unforgettable spots. Just feet from Fife’s famous coastal path between the pretty villages of St Monans and Elie (where they play cricket on the beach during the summer) you can sleep under canvas, waking to the sound of waves gently lapping on the shore at Catchpenny Safari Lodges. On glorious Balnakiel Beach near Durness on the north coast Balnakiel Bothy is a tiny stone house for two, the open- plan living area decorated with Anta furnishings, a sea view from the kitchen table. On the Isle of Lewis ex scallop-diver Dave and his wife Julie run two pods perched just above the sweep of white sand and turquoise water at Kneep. The Beach Bothies tick all the sand-between-your-toes boxes. Life’s a beach.

Lucy Gillmore is a freelance journalist who left a newspaper travel desk for the Highlands’ hills. Dipping into Scotland’s ever-evolving food, drink and accommodation scene she will be bringing us the latest news stories, dates for the diary and shining a light on local food heroes in a regular column. You can follow her on @lucygillmore

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