Tag: North coast 500

At the very beginning of August, 2021, I saw a seal down at Whaligoe Steps. Naturally I felt thrilled with this observation but would not dare to hope that it would become a resident. Over the many years, sightings of seal at Whaligoe Steps have been fairly regular and commonplace, so to guess that this latest sighting would be something special was a little too much to hope for.

To my utter glee and astonishment this sighting of a solitary seal was just the beginning of a new chapter for me and my wildlife observations. Undertaking my trusty research I found out that both harbour seals and grey seals were not unusual to these coastline regions, but the more common sighting and presence belongs to the grey seal.

Two grey seals were sighted a few weeks later which has filled me with real enthusiasm that they could well be here to stay! At the time of this blog entry, October 17th, 2021, I can honestly say that regular sightings of a third grey seal has sealed the deal that at least for a while, Whaligoe Steps has resident grey seals which are putting on a beautiful natural display for the visitors.

Thanks to The Wildlife Trust I can remind you that grey seals are protected in Britain under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 and the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Grey seal | The Wildlife Trusts

According to OneKindPlanet – Animal Facts, Education & Inspiration the grey seal is the largest land breeding mammal you will find in the United Kingdom. When out seal-watching I can safely say the statistics regarding their activity is accurate too as the grey seal can remain underwater for around fifteen to sixteen minutes, but more often surface after anywhere from five to ten minutes.

Despite the tourist season normally being all over by now, the visitors to Whaligoe Steps remain steadfast. Even today as I stood watching the seals going about their business, I observed many individuals wrapped up warm in various Winter-themed attire coming and going.

The seal stone that was hidden at Whaligoe Steps on October the 6th, was found yesterday and moved to a new location where more visitors were likely to stumble across it. From that location on some coastal rock which jutted out and utilised as a popular position in which to watch the seals, I have observed the seal stone now out and about on a journey to somewhere else!

If the family or individual who picked up the seal stone had a spare moment to let me know where it is now, I would love to hear about it. Many thanks in advance.

As always, please take care and be safe. Thank you for your time.

Remember that there are ways to get your WhaligoeEye.co.uk fix – There is a form where you can subscribe to Whaligoe Eye, or if you prefer you can look us up via social media: FACEBOOK – Whaligoe Eye – Home | Facebook, TWITTER – @whaligoeeye

Via one of the social media resources associated with this website, a lovely individual ‘tagged’ me in their communication relating to activities of women back in the day carrying the herring up the Whaligoe Steps and included a wonderful historic picture. It reminded me that as I go about my historical research in conjunction with the new-to-me discoveries in relation to the wonderfully rich selection of nature here at Whaligoe Steps, that I have not really divulged much in the way of findings.

The above photograph is of my second edition copy of the book “A Canny Countryside” by John Horne, originally published back in 1896. This lovely book doesn’t directly name Whaligoe or the surrounding area, but is known to be describing and sharing the observation of life here by the author.

With a keen wink and a nudge, former Reverend John Horne eloquently describes the landscape and environment of “Knockdry”, but thanks to a John O’Groat Journal (local newspaper) article from 1907 which identifies that all local people knew the book was all about Whaligoe, I simply had to snap up a copy! It is beautifully written and a fascinating insight.

The history lessons keep coming hard and fast as the relationship with Whaligoe Steps and smuggling goes ever deeper and more curious. My research in to the world of smuggling during the late 1700s through to the early 1900s has been quite eye-opening to say the least!

You would perhaps think that the smuggling of whisky was the core and main focus. In some respects you would be correct, as an article by Alison Campsie for The Scotsman noted in 2020 – during the 1820s up to around 14,000 illegal whisky stills were closed down on a yearly basis. As it happens tobacco, brandy and wine were also guilty pleasures too expensive for mortal persons to consume in an affordable fashion. Plenty to be smuggling via the coastline of such an isolated and remote region of the mainland.

The emphasis of these smuggling-based networks is recognised widely due to the Act of Union between England and Scotland in 1707 when tax and excise was the new system for such trade. The inhabitants of Whaligoe and surrounding pockets of society had already established a reputation for being unruly, rough around the edges and generally a law upon themselves, so new stipulated rules from the English was always going to be out of touch or unwelcome! If you include the expense and the greed of the rule-makers to take their cut of the profits, this arrangement was never going to end well.

As always, thanks for your time. Please note that you can subscribe to this blogging website now if you wish, and of course you can find us on Facebook: Whaligoe Eye – Home | Facebook or on Twitter: Whaligoe Eye (@WhaligoeEye) / Twitter and there is a YouTube channel these days too – Whaligoe Eye – YouTube

When you visit the Whaligoe Steps, you might well see a rusty old manual boat winch standing unassumingly near the pebble shore. One thing is for sure, it gets quite a view of the north sea and wildlife activity down there!

They were made with different designs but all had the same motive in mind, to haul a boat from one point to another. The reasons you would want to move a boat are plenty and will be covered over time as this humble tribute to the Whaligoe Steps grows in content.

Here are a couple of photographs showing the boat winch in the state it is in today.

The existing boat winch has certainly seen better days, but worthy of note is that this little robust piece of engineering had a Brother. Alas, the other boat winch is no longer around and back in the day would have been sighted at the base of the steps which zig-zag down the cliff.

There are still old photographs which show the other boat winch in existence down at the Whaligoe Steps. Also available when you go foraging are some interesting insights about the humble boat winch. For example, in the publication known as ‘East of Fife Record’ back in April of 1878, an article proudly proclaimed the boat winch to be “Iron Man” due to the fact it didn’t damage the nets or any other boat-worthy gear, plus it was the easiest to work and the most powerful in comparison to any other methods.

If you take a good look at the concrete base on which this fellow dwells, you may be able to make out a date scribed in it: December the 5th, 1899…

The fishing industry is a fascinating area to explore and when you look at the history of it all, you get a real sense of the development and scope over time. One place I would recommend as a starting point if you have time: Scottish Fisheries Museum – Home Page (scotfishmuseum.org)

Thanks as always for your time, take care and be safe.

There is a lot of life at the Whaligoe Steps. Everything from snails, spiders, earwigs and other insect life to various seagulls, oystercatchers, redshanks, humans and seals. But I have not really shared with you apart from the odd social media moment, the local feline presence.

Let me introduce you to the two main attractions at the time of this blog – “Star” and “Ludwig”…

Star enjoys adventure, people and roaming around the Whaligoe Steps. You will more than likely see Star on a visit to the zig-zagging Caithness flagstone steps, as the temptation for exploration and the curious nature that dwells within gets too much. A domesticated cat which is happy outdoors to forage amongst the local environment and soften up visitors in the hope of some fussing.

The second feline attraction in the immediate area of the Whaligoe Steps belongs to a fine fellow called Ludwig.

He is also a domesticated cat, but very different from Star. Where Star can be found out and about on an adventure, Ludwig would rather be indoors thank you. Living as an indoor feline, he likes home comforts and the less exerting lifestyle. Mind you, whether he has the world record for sleeping the longest or not, he still enjoys moments of tummy-bathing when the sun is streaming through the windows, or an occasional tap ‘n’ nibble of a shoe lace or a drinking straw.

If you’re wondering what would happen if they met each other, ponder no more as they have gazed at each other on several occasions through glass. Thankfully, they seem to be quite amicable with each other with no hard feelings expressed whatsoever.

Thanks as always for your time, take care and be safe.

People are an integral ingredient when it comes to life here at Whaligoe Steps. You would find on a visit to this location an immediate neighbourhood comprising of six households in total situated near or around the residential car park. These people live here and go about their daily business.

Thinking about the Whaligoe Steps, you have those people passing through (visitors) and you have people in the responsible roles of decision-making, who are at the time of this blog post attempting to negotiate the best strategy to improve the infrastructure and empower a positive experience for the visitors and residents alike.

I sat through two and a half hours of a meeting regarding the topic of tourism in the Highlands of Scotland, with decision-makers saying how impressive they had been so far in relation to tackling the evident surge and overwhelming arrival of visitors to varying popular destinations.

Nobody related to this significant meeting had reached out to me or anyone I know who is directly connected to the Whaligoe Steps, so it is with pure good luck (and continued humble thanks to Margaret Meek from the “NC500 The Land Weeps”) that I can now share my more informed thoughts on developments.

The committee were smitten with their campaign of communication with communities and visitors but as I sit here, after emails were sent to all members of the Council Ward: 03 – Wick and East Caithness, only Councillor Jill Tilt has made overtures of interest and enthusiasm toward understanding what local people perceive to be improvements to the infrastructure. It was very much appreciated and I wish to share a humble THANK YOU.

Councillor Jill Tilt in her capacity as a new member to the Council Ward visited me today to better gain insight to the logistics for residents and visitors negotiating the access and car parking. This Councillor is the only one to have sent a reply to my initial email, and I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed with her approach which was both professional and sympathetic.

Due to various reasons, Willie Mackay did not email me but has dropped by in person to visit the Whaligoe Steps where it was evident he was assessing the location. Not one syllable has been sent my way from Andrew Sinclair (emailed on the 29th of August) or Raymond Bremner (emailed on the 1st of September) who are the other two Councillors for this Ward.

I like to dwell if at all possible on positive aspects that go on behind the scenes. With this in mind and if you’re happy to indulge me I would love to share my gratitude to the many individuals who have made this new “Whaligoe Eye” experience so rewarding.

I mentioned the good lady earlier, but THANK YOU to Margaret Meek once again as without her experience in matters relating to infrastructure and politics, I would have still been twirling about like a lost sheep!

This website has grown so much in just six weeks and one section I really enjoy sharing is the “Postcards” area. The above photograph is a memory of an encounter with visitors who spent some time talking and listening and it is merely one example. They were lovely strangers to meet, and what a location to meet new people!

Holding a camera and capturing a moment out to sea, this visitor managed to negotiate seaweed and slippery pebbles and made it look easy! His fiancée stood watching from a distance and the two of them were so kind and interested in the area.

I would like to say THANK YOU to George Walker for emailing and sharing his photography of the Whaligoe Steps, and his advice relating to the art of photography. If you have a moment, check out georgewalkerphotography.co.uk

I have received quite a few emails in recent weeks and I know some of you would rather I did not mention you by name, but this is a THANK YOU for your feedback regarding all manner of aspects connected to Whaligoe Eye.

Here are some overdue moments of gratitude to some folk who I emailed a few weeks ago regarding quotes for a future piece I am working on…

THANK YOU to Catherine over at Where To Stay, Eat, Shop & Explore, Highlands Of Scotland (truehighlands.com)

THANK YOU to Susan over at A Highland Blend – | Promoting the north Highlands of Scotland

THANK YOU to Tim over at Scotland Off the Beaten Track – An honest travel guide to the best of Scotland (sobt.co.uk)

Before I go, here is a bit of fun I had with some art-based software. I had an old photograph of Whaligoe Steps which I played with…

THANK YOU for your time and as always, take care and be safe.

The first blog was posted on August the 15th, 2021. In all honesty, this website was motivated by a perceived apathy from the Highland Council regarding the overwhelming traffic visiting this wee coastal corner of the Highlands of Scotland, and their lack of concern or to a slightly more alarming degree, even their awareness of what was taking place. The sheer volume of visitors was so bad that property damage was inevitable and sure enough, cause and effect unfolded.

A photo above is a moment in time where the rear end of a campervan demolished an outer wall. The feeling of the wall crashing on to the path was felt throughout the foundations of the residential property. On reflection, it reveals how vulnerable the residents are from further accidents as the outer wall was only a path-width away from being the actual home wall.

Check out further reading as accounts of congestion and evidence of increased volumes of visitor activity created tension, frustration and elements of risk to vehicles and properties in this immediate area.

Previous blogs: “Jam…” – Jam… – Whaligoe Eye

“Deja Vu” – Deja Vu – Whaligoe Eye

“Never Judge a Book…” Never Judge a Book… – Whaligoe Eye

• 

• 

• 

• 

To give you an insight in to what other productivity has been undertaken to this modest and still evolving online source, there have been two well-received sections showcasing natural photographs and the “Postcards” area.

Check out this link for the ever-growing ‘Nature’ gallery – Nature – Whaligoe Eye

Check here to see photographs of visitors to the Whaligoe Steps – Postcards – Whaligoe Eye

Many thanks to all of you who were happy to strike a pose in and around this beautiful location.

Other blog posts added to this site included content about stones and creativity, a sentimental connection to the Whaligoe Steps, unfolding situations in general, a trip down the coastline with Caithness Seacoast, the arrival of a litter bin to the residents’ car parking area and observations of nature around here. More on these topics as time goes on plus a wonderful rich collection of historically researched materials which I think you may find interesting

• 

• 

• 

• 

So for now, I will bid you a fond farewell and let you know that there is plenty going on behind the scenes which will surface on this website in due course.

Take care and many thanks as always.

The stonemason working on the restoration of the Whaligoe Steps at the time of this blog entry, has been a true and authentic example of an individual learning his craft throughout the decades. Charlie Juhlenski told me that he has been working this trade for around forty three years and loves working with the stone steps here. The pride in his work is evident for all those who descend the Whaligoe Steps, as the results simply speak for themselves.

Due to the volume of visitors, the work can be hampered. I have observed the stonemason dropping by at late hours of the day and night gradually making additions and adjustments to his prior workmanship, as progress of his maintenance continues after several months.

Stone is a fascinating and essential ingredient when surveying the Whaligoe Steps region. Not only is it prominent obviously within the cliffs around this area, and makes up the material of the steps, but is found on the small pebble beaches near the Bink at the base of the Whaligoe Steps.

In a previous blog post, I stumbled across a stack of pebbles balanced and beautiful on the pebble shore I just referred to. Check out this wee reminder: A video clip I filmed at the time of the discovery.

Since that find of stacked pebbles, within about two hours the north sea had knocked it down and there was literally no sign that this ever existed. Nature does not take prisoners!

Now then, take a look at this next photograph below… What do you think?

They are not just pebbles, but pebbles which have been scribed on using sharp objects. These pebbles have then been placed on to thin shelves and grooves within the shallow cave walls and subsequently resemble what can only be described as a stone gallery.

• 

• 

According to www.britannica.com, cave art dates back from 40,000 to 14,000 years ago with examples found in Russia, Indonesia to England and France. The first acknowledged piece of Paleolithic (Stone Age) cave painting was discovered in the Altamira Caves, located around the Spanish town of Santillana del Mar, Cantabria.

It would seem that Homo Sapiens have instinctively been motivated to express themselves utilising the environment as a blank canvas in which to scribe, paint or showcase letters or images.

On each visit down the Whaligoe Steps, I see signs and symbols in and around informing me that visitors from far and wide have left a symbolic signature behind. What will you find when you visit?

Thanks as always for your time, take care and be safe.

Books are fabulous! One downside though of possessing books in these recent times which I feel slightly conflicted about sharing, is how they accumulate to the point of invading precious physical space. I need more room for stuff!

The reason for mentioning this topic is on a sunny morning I put out a box of books at the top of the Whaligoe Steps for visitors to take. Giving them away for free was an interesting experience and you may have thought that I would have seen the entire batch removed. You thought wrong.

As I observed visitors which had turned out in respectable number sauntering around the area here, it became apparent that the congestion issue was still highly relevant. At the time of this blog, it may be at the halfway point of September, but visitors are still making the most of their spare time by experiencing the Whaligoe Steps.

The Highland Council at the time of this blog still say there are no plans to extend the car park.

Thanks to Kirstin Tait Kirstin Tait – Journalist – Home | Facebook of the ‘Press and Journal’ for the recent coverage – Home – Press and Journal

This morning I decided to film my descent down the main set of six flights of steps which make up the Whaligoe Steps.

Fairly spontaneous thing to do I guess, but my gosh was it a good cardio workout! Sporadically, I have done this wee jaunt down the steps for over thirty years now and felt relatively empowered to tackle the challenge. Please do not try this, especially as on this fine morning the steps were slightly wet underfoot.

During this rather overzealous undertaking, I became aware of some cobwebs which held droplets of rain and moisture. They looked so elegant reminding me of thin but robust threads containing small natural crystals.

It was a simple nudge for my brain to process as I began thinking about all of those little things we take for granted. It’s the little things on various levels that I often miss. So on this slightly misty morn’, I began to rummage amongst the grassy banks of the Whaligoe Steps to find those little things.

Many thanks for your time as always, it means a lot and remember those little things.

I was reflecting over the many individuals who have scribed their initials in to bits of the Whaligoe Steps. There are quite a few and they all tell their own story.

The “W Y T” you see in my photograph happens to belong to someone who lived close to the Whaligoe Steps for essentially his entire life. Sadly he is no longer with us and I personally miss him a lot. Prepare yourself for a wee blog swimming in sentimentality.

In the photograph where he’s sporting his woolly hat and dark blue overalls, he is keeping busy in his shed working on his woodwork. He made chairs, a cupboard and all sorts of items.

Back in the day when I was very fortunate enough to know William “Wull” Taylor, he was a busy and gentle man. If “Wull” was not making something with his carpentry skills, he was reading, fishing, building a miniature model railway or going for a walk in to the wilderness.

He was a prolific fisherman utilising different flies on the end of his fishing rod and calculating which one was going to be the flavour of the season. Visiting a local loch, he would be calm and patient whilst observing all around him.

Many evenings saw the two of us or maybe more tackling old computer games when cassettes were the format of choice. Patiently waiting for games to load before we could get stuck in to them, our conversations would cover subjects like books, magazines, films, plans for the future and life as we observed it. “Wull” enjoyed science fiction pop-culture in the form of Terry Pratchett books, the ‘Red Dwarf’ television programme and I recall when ‘The X-Files’ started out, how we would both be buzzing with enthusiasm about it.

Due to his gentle nature, “Wull” was very much loved in the community. For me personally, it is a delight to think that visitors to the Whaligoe Steps may notice his initials carved in to one of the steps as they either descend or ascend. His memory lives on in a way which only time has shown me.

I have my photographs of him, and my memories of the adventures and experiences we shared. There are signs of him all around me even today which brings me a sense of comfort. People say that when you lose someone dear to you, that you never get over it but learn to live with it. I feel that is a true reflection.

Thanks as always for dropping by. Take care and be safe.