Tin Kirk & War Memorial, Syre

After crossing to Gill's Bay yesterday we made our way (slowly) along the coast to Bettyhill. The Bettyhill Hotel was a welcome sight and is dog friendly. The whole area is beautiful in a slightly austere way. There were cyclists on a 60 hour round time trial from just north of Inverness. It sounded punishing to me. Lots of motor cyclists and people doing the North Coast 500 route. This long distance drive has brought so many people to a beautiful part of the North Highlands but the jury's out on whether the infrastructure can cope.

Anyway after breakfast we set off for the long journey home. The first miles were through lovely, fertile, wooded Strathnaver. This long strath saw some of the worst land clearances in the early 19th century and it has a very sad history at the hands of the Dukes of Sutherland. As you can see from my blip the church, some 11 miles up the strath from Bettyhill, really stands alone in an empty area. Of course the Highlands weren't the only places which experienced brutal land clearances for the pleasure of the rich and powerful. And as we drove through the area we reflected on the land grabs which are still underway throughout the world today.

The church is corrugated iron and was built in the 1890s originally as a Kirk of the Free Church of Scotland. It's now a Church of Scotland Kirk and there is a service once a month. It's left unlocked and is a peaceful place.

We stopped at Lairg where the weather was warm and sunny. Had a lovely woodland walk up to Loch Shin. And some unexpectedly very good coffee. Then on to the inevitable Evanton Storehouse for a really enjoyable late lunch and the final three hours drive home.

Everything ok here which is always a bit of a relief. It's been really wet and the garden has gone rogue but luckily I have a bit of time to get to grips with it before family visitors arrive on Wednesday.

I have a mountain of washing and sorting out to do so apologies if I don't get round to commenting tonight.