The Soldier's Head

I grew up in Northern Ireland and came to Scotland to study and work.

Ailsa Craig became the symbol of the journey and my metaphorical stepping stone to home. Some years later, home is now Inverness and my family are in the Central Belt - no longer separated by water but by a road that can be challenging and sometimes the distance seems just as far.

The Soldier's Head is visible from the A9 at the Slochd and being able to see it is supposed to be a sign of being a true Highlander. It has become as much of a stepping stone on journeys for me as that other lump of granite in the Irish sea. I wonder what rocks will link my son and I in 20 years time....

HEAR MORE ABOUT SARA'S JOURNEY STONE

This audio forms part of a series of audio interviews conducted in 2023 by Smartify as part of the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project. Listen and discover the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands through the eyes of the stitchers of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.

Join Sara Ramsey of the South Ness Stitchers as she explains the phenomenon that is the Soldier's Head in conversation with Smartify.

...it actually looks like the Mandalorian...apparently if you can see it, it means you are a true Highlander...