The Ninian Platform

By Jan Teago

Journey Stone depicting the Ninian Platform
Image provided by Jan Teago

Built at Kishorn in the mid 1970s by Howard Doris Ltd on the south coast of Applecross, is the largest concrete structure to float in the world.

It employed 1000s of navvies, nurses, barmen and barmaids, engineers of all sorts and had the longest bar in the west! This oil rig still operates in the North Sea. It brought prosperity and good wages to the area and full employment.

The area had relied on tourism, forestry and crofting for their employment (no fish farms then) they came later. The building of oil rigs at Kishorn had a huge effect on the area for good and bad. The arrangement with the company was to pay into a community fund, this was achieved and the Howard Doris Centre is the result, a purpose built care home, which is used by many groups and is a superb hub for the village.

Many thanks to Jan Teago for sharing with us the story behind her journey stone, created as part of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.

WHAT IS A JOURNEY STONE?

Prior to the beginning of the stitching of each tapestry panel, each stitcher of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands was tasked with telling their interpretation of the 'Spirit of the Highlands and Islands' within a blank outline of a stone. The possibilities were truly endless - is it represented in the land? The people? A historical site? A favourite memory?

In any case, each journey stone represents the connection between of each individual stitcher, their story, and their own sense, or 'spirit', of place. Discover more of the stories behind the journey stones of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands here.