Tag: tourism

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

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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

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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.

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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.

My stroll down the Whaligoe Steps this morning provided a thought-provoking discovery. On the pebble shore was a stack of stones which has been a hot topic amongst tourists and environmentalists in recent times. I filmed my discovery which you can see in this blog and found myself speaking about what I came across. Apologies if you’re not a fan of commentary – Just turn the volume off.

The stacks of stones which appear in all manner of locations from popular tourist destinations on the Orkney Islands right around the globe to Australia, are examples of humans physically changing a natural environment where varying types of wildlife inhabit.

If you and I put our feet in the metaphorical footwear of a species of wildlife to imagine what this stack of stones was like, it might be comparable to you finding your home rearranged one day to the point that it resembled a pile of rubble!

When you delve in to the rabbit hole which is the debate about whether they are good or bad, you stumble across inspiring associations related to spiritual or religious belief and the symbolism connected to mental health wellbeing. In the moment an individual or a group assemble and balance such a striking structure, the process itself quite possibly feels cathartic.

Personally, I see them in the moment as an artistic expression but do understand the significance regarding the sensitivity of the natural world.

It is good to wonder. Take care, be safe.

Yesterday morning at around 08:50, the Highland Council kindly provided the Whaligoe Steps car park with a litter bin.

This is very welcome as with so many individuals visiting this area these days/nights, I am seeing more and more food wrappers, masks and tissues, etc. appearing not only on the Whaligoe Steps but in the car parking area too.

Now that this area has a litter bin, when you are visiting and have that little extra bit of litter lurking in your hand or pocket please feel free to use this new addition. It helps the environment and also adds something positive to the experience for other visitors here.

This morning when I went for a stroll hoping to catch sight of some natural wonders, I took some photographs of litter I found. It gives you and I an idea about how positive this litter bin will prove to be once individuals realise there is one that is close at hand.

There is a lot going on regarding this blogging website in the background. Ideas are brewing and motions in directions relating to an updated article on the Whaligoe Steps, other features to the site and strides to get some other facilities and safer infrastructure to this location at the Whaligoe Steps. More to follow.

Thank you so much for the thousands of hits on this website that are being counted; the many, many visitors from around the world and for those who have reached out with some good questions. Apologies for any delays in getting back to you, but I try my best to be as prompt as I can. It is encouraging to know that you care and have some interest in what is being created here.

Take care as always and be safe.

The amenities/facilities here around the Whaligoe Steps. Exhibit A.

Either right at the very end of 2017 or the turning of 2018, this salt grit bin made an appearance. When the ground gets too icy and dangerous the contents can be used to make conditions a lot safer.

As I meandered back up from the Whaligoe Steps this morning, I walked over to the grit salt bin which is the only (at the time of this blog post) sign of Highland Council presence within their residential car parking area regarding amenities/facilities.

But I digress. I wanted to share with you the continued traffic situation here when it gets busy.

With the car park full, a car on the left is waiting patiently for some sensible and safe way to park. As they wait a resident tries to leave their lane (the silver car). Meanwhile a campervan hesitates in the only access point to the residential car parking facility due to an oncoming Jeep squeezing by.

In a recent local newspaper article, residents or visitors were recommended by the Highland Council to call 101 – I quote “Obstruction is a police matter. Residents experiencing obstruction or damage to their property/vehicles should contact the police on 101.”

“The council has no immediate plans to extend the car park at Ulbster but is willing to work with communities where need is identified and funding can be found.”

The article can be found here: Ulbster resident talks of ‘nightmare’ parking problems at Whaligoe Steps on NC500 route (johnogroat-journal.co.uk)

Naturally, with the volume of visitors increasing and the residential car park being full, individuals seek out other parking locations.

Take care, and as always thanks for your time. Be safe.

I will admit that over the last eleven years especially, each and every day I find myself on a steep learning curve. Whether this is applicable to food, health, people or animals and plants.

For some reason it had sneaked in to my subconscious that a ‘Shag’ was some sort of nickname for a Cormorant. So after hanging out this morning with what I thought was a ‘Shag’ watching the overcast grey skies and feeling the gentle tingle of light drizzle on my face, I filmed it for posterity capturing this special moment.

Once I was back in the dry, I reached out for my trusty British bird handbook and flicked over the pages to find that a Cormorant is a separately recognised bird. They both possess different latin names for example: Cormorant – phalacrocorax carbo, Shag – phalacrocorax Aristotelis.

I think the fellow that was happy to sit on the ledge to my left was indeed a Cormorant. I shared a tweet on Twitter which said it was a Shag, but now I am thinking I was wrong. Do you recognise this bird?

Before I go, this morning reminded me how slippery underfoot the Whaligoe Steps can get. Two photographs below show how slippery and wet it can get – Please tread carefully if you visit here during or after rainfall.

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Here are the six sets of steps which make up the zig-zag formation of the Whaligoe Steps, with each section of the ascendency clearly shown – 23rd of August, 2021.