Highland cows (or heeland cooz as they are pronounced in Scotland) is native to the highlands of Scotland, hence the name.  Interesting fact, while a group of cattle is normally called a herd, a group of Highland cattle is called a fold.

These hardy creatures are quite large but ever so friendly – and they love cuddles!  Seriously!

~ Bella

Scotland’s Boddham harbour was built in 1831 and became a registered port in 1845.

  

The village’s lighthouse, Buchan Ness Lighthouse was built-in 1827 by Robert Stevenson and stands 130 feet high.

 

~ Bella

Seemingly stranded in the middle of a large field, stands the ruins of Castle Pittulie in Fraserburgh, Scotland.

 

Castle Pittulie, also known as Pittulie Castle, is an oblong tower house located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, near the village of Rosehearty. The castle is believed to have been built around the late 16th century, with sources suggesting it was likely constructed in 1596 to celebrate the marriage of Alexander Fraser of Philorth and Margaret Abernethy of Saltoun.

Originally, the castle was owned by the Frasers of Philorth, who were also known as Clan Fraser.

As with much of Clan history, this is yet another story of clan vs clan.  The Frasers held the lands of Pittulie from their overlords, the Clan Douglas. After the marriage of Alexander Fraser and Margaret Abernethy, the Frasers inherited the Saltoun peerage. Later, the property passed on to the Cumine family, who expanded the original tower.

In 1746, Hanoverian troops sacked and burned the castle after the defeat at Culloden.

It’s a strange and eerie place with a fascinating history…

~ Bella

The Pitsligo Castle was built around 1424.  Ownership later passed to the Forbes family of Druminnor.

The last Forbes of Pitsligo supported both the 1715 Rising and Bonnie Prince Charlie’s 1745 rebellion.  After the Stuart defeat at Culloden, Forbes was forced to flee for his life and was declared an outlaw, leaving Pitsligo castle to be seized by the crown.

In 1989 a descendant of the original Forbes family, publishing magnate Malcolm Forbes, purchased the castle estate and restored the fortress to the point where it was no longer in danger of falling down – and it is managed by the Pitsligo Castle Trust.

 

~ Bella

I loved it here – such a serene space…

 

The church was built around 1630 and the south aisle of the church served as a burial vault for the Forbes family of Pitsligo from 1636 to 1781.

 

~Bella

Aikey Brae stands at the summit of Parkhouse Hill in Aberdeenshire.

 

It is thought the stone circle was created around 4,000 years ago by a local farming community.

The main stone is made of whinstone that was transported to this place from some distance away. The remaining stones are made of local granite and are graded in size.

~ Bella

 

Finally off exploring Scotland – first stop:  Deer Abbey, built in 1219.

 

Deer Abbey was Cistercian monastery founded in 1219.  The abbey is associated with the Book of Deer and for more than 300 years, the Cistercian monks seem to have lived a quiet and contemplative life until the Protestant Reformation of 1560 brought the abbey’s spiritual use to a close.

 

The Book of Deer (Leabhar Dhèir in Gaelic) is a 10th-century Latin Gospel Book with early 12th-century additions in Latin, Old Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It contains the earliest known surviving Gaelic writing from Scotland.  The origin of the book is uncertain, and it has been in the ownership of the Cambridge University Library since 1715.

 

Exploring the local area…  I will do a longer post at another time with the history of the area and a more extensive tour.  This was just a quick look around to get my bearings.

 

 

Called in to a cafe…

Then back home sweet home… one moment blue sky…

…then rain…

…then 20 minutes later…  SNOW!

I thought I would finish this post with a sign in the window of the cafe that encapsulates this lovely little village…

~ Bella

On the surface, this day might seem like a bummer of a day as five different places I went to were closed, but I still had a lovely day of exploring…

Sir Walter Scott’s courthouse…

Reading Sir Walter Scott’s journal in Waverley Castle…