A Late August's Day in Balintore
I made the long journey north for work - the most mundane of reasons, I know! I never expected to return with a renewed understanding of just what the ‘Spirit’ of the Highlands and Islands means to me.
Arriving in Inverness earlier that week, I decided to travel north to pay a visit the new John Ross Visitor Centre in Balintore. I was very excited to say the least! Jumping off at an earlier stop, I felt a strange but comforting familiarity as I walked from Shandwick to Balintore. The healing scenery, a friendly ‘hello’ from the post man, a warm bowl of soup and an even warmer welcome from the team at the Seaboard Centre was incredibly, well, heart-warming! This feeling, this initial sense of community, was only amplified stepping into the John Ross Visitor Centre.
Looking around the centre I felt incredibly connected to the story of John Ross. Just to see how the calling of one person, a native Gaelic speaker and local of Easter Ross, could have such a positive, lasting impact in the Highlands, South Korea, China and beyond in the 19th Century was extraordinarily inspiring.
As the day drew to a close, I found myself wandering down the rocky beach as I waited for the bus. Sitting peacefully against a rock and staring into the glistening waves, I realised this was the first time I had been by the sea since before COVID-19. Losing track of time, I missed the bus and was faced with a dilemma of how to get back for a morning meeting in Inverness. I was incredibly lucky when a member of the Seaboard Centre team passed by and kindly offered me a lift back to Tain.
Alone at the train station, I realised that I had been surrounded by the ‘spirit’ of the Highlands and Islands all day. It is alive in the beauty of the land, the kindness of strangers, community heroes, a unique culture and a fascinating history all at once. If you exclude any of these elements you risk completely losing the bigger picture.
It’s so easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives but if this late August’s day taught me anything, it’s that the ‘spirit’ of the Highlands and Islands cannot be caught or contained. I cannot stress this enough - it’s something you have to experience for yourself!
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SHARE YOUR STORIES AND MEMORIES OF THE EASTER ROSS PENINSULA
Stories are at the heart of what we do as a project and we are always looking to learn more about what the Highlands and Islands means to people who live, work, and visit here. The Easter Ross Peninsula is an iconic part of the Highlands and Islands, with a rich natural and cultural heritage to discover. We would love to know, what are some of your favourite memories or stories related to the Easter Ross Peninsula? Tell us below, we can't wait to hear from you!
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