On December 16th, 2023, I assembled a recapping blog entry showcasing the first fourteen parts of a daily trek challenge which I began on May 1st, 2023.
The daily trek challenge began on May 1st, 2023, hopes were high that I could walk and document life down and around Whaligoe Steps each and every day until May 1st, 2024. This was initially going to be utilising commentary and photography, but latterly has incorporated wee video clips too.
Personally, with all that life throws at us, something of this discipline is hard to achieve.
It is the three hundred and forty second day of my daily trek challenge and I can happily report that I remain on target to succeed in this ongoing endeavour.
Today is a Saturday, full of overcast skies and strong gusts, visitors are still dropping by to visit this location. Life goes on.
It’s also a good time to have fun with numbers. For example, roughly I may well have walked two hundred and three thousand, one hundred and forty eight steps thus far. Another way to look at such a distance is to say I have walked one hundred and one miles.
This achievement has highlighted the extraordinary stamina and results of those individuals who tackle the remarkable ‘Land’s End to John O’ Groats’ trek – Traditionally seen as the most extreme journey by foot within the United Kingdom, starting out in western Cornwall, England, and eventually finishing up in the northern territories of Scotland.
I’ve only managed perhaps a sixth or an eighth of what that distance would encompass. But still, it’s provided an insight to a coastal way of life, for those who would frequent the trail or stone steps down this cliff to the North Sea below.
A serene rainbow captured during the fortnight I document during my daily trek challenge via the following link: New Year for my Daily Trek Challenge! – Whaligoe Eye (December 25th, 2023 up to and including January 7th, 2024)
Winter weather strikes me as I tackle another fortnight of daily treks down and around Whaligoe Steps: Daily Trek Challenge in January! – Whaligoe Eye (January 8th up to and including January 21st, 2024)
Thank you for your kindness and support up to this point. All going well, I’ll be sharing another blog entry as April continues to entertain with changing weather conditions and visitors continue to arrive in larger numbers. At the time of this entry, the Bink (grassy platform at the base of the six flights of Whaligoe Steps) is still quite muddy and slippery, so caution is advised.
If I’m watching a television series and there is a gap between watching the episodes, I find myself thankful when the creators of such a show provide a recap. That magical reminder of the characters and their story arc, the prompt to pick up where I left off whilst watching avidly on prior occasions.
So here it is for those of you who are new to the “Whaligoe Eye” project (and there has been a significant increase of visitors to this humble website), covering life on and around the remarkable Whaligoe Steps, here in the north Highlands of Scotland.
This recap also applies to those who have dropped by in the past thanks to my coverage of Stonemasonry undertaken by Charles Juhlenski on the Steps; the blogs covering my thirteen day monitoring of a grey seal pup here at Whaligoe Steps; the coverage of ongoing congestion and overwhelming traffic issues which have plagued the local infrastructure here causing a significant amount of anxiety and stress for visitors and locals alike, or general curiosity after the welcome social media interest in my poetry and promotion of this website.
Although the history of Whaligoe Steps can be dated back via documented sources to around 1640, the Steps we can witness at the time of this blog entry are commonly associated to the sterling investment of Captain David Brodie. He commissioned around 330 Caithness flagstones to be set in the cliff face to provide a robust pathway down to what is known as the Bink, which is situated at the base of the zig-zagging descent. The year most commonly associated with Captain Brodie and his intent on creating a better walkway is around 1791.
I’m not going to enter into a whole chronological history lesson right now, that can wait for the book which I’m researching and constantly working on. Just know that living here for over thirty years, I count my blessings being entertained, stimulated and marvelling at the world around me regarding Whaligoe Steps. So let me take this opportunity to share the story thus far dating back only a few months when I kickstarted this modest blogging website.
(Social media screenshot) Coverage at the time of the dangerous numbers of visitors overwhelmed the immediate infrastructure at Whaligoe Steps
Due to the frustrating lack of acknowledgement by the Highland Council to the plight facing residents and visitors to Whaligoe Steps over the past five years (!), I took the plunge and paid for this website in August, 2021. For one reason or another, nobody else was in a situation locally to provide a sensible and socially aware approach to bringing attention to the evident health and safety risks of residents and visitors here.
After being informed by other residents of constant minor vehicle-related incidents in the residents carpark, or near misses to pedestrians in relation to the significant increase to traffic either mounting the kerb, or trying to negotiate a singular access point which was not built for purpose of this magnitude, I decided to do something about it! The proverbial cherry on top of the cake arrived nearly a year prior, when in September, 2020, my outer wall was knocked down by an impressive sized campervan! My stress levels hit an all time high.
Residents carpark totally full in August, 2021 – No space for residents or anyone wishing to visit residents…
As of the middle of January, 2022, I’m sad to update one and all with how nothing has changed regarding this specific concern. Mind you, in fairness to the Highland Council they did eventually provide a well-used dustbin for refuse collection as we had at that point no facilities other than a yellow grit bin! The rubbish bin is a silver lining to what has been a huge disappointment thus far.
I took a screenshot of a relevant online meeting the Highland Council orchestrated regarding significant increases to tourism in the Highlands and the impacts thereof. This meeting was held on September 29th (2021) and apart from their back-slapping over providing wardens to assess and data-collect, they also recognised that lessons in social media would be beneficial.
Despite only one local Councillor venturing out to meet me and discuss or listen to my woes, I have emailed all others from the local Ward to no avail. The warden I witnessed on a couple of occasions who visited the carpark and immediate area when no traffic and disruption was unfolding, made no overtures of communication or data-collection from myself or those who I have spoken with.
Sharing this with you is surprisingly cathartic, so I extend my humble thanks to you for listening.
So the first blog entry was on August the 15th, 2021, reporting on the chaos of another year busy with visitors to Whaligoe Steps, and tales of being unable to park in allocated spaces as they were full. As the days rolled by in a blur of constant monitoring and anxiety, the website began to take on other elements of what makes this community so interesting and precious.
Photo taken thanks to a trip with Caithness Seacoast in 2021… From the perspective of the north sea looking under the Bink.
There was a trip taken with Caithness Seacoast in 2021 which added to the learning curve regarding the relationship of Whaligoe Steps in context to the coastline leading to Wick. During this time I was learning about the abundant wildlife around Whaligoe Steps, and raising awareness regarding the ominous situation on my doorstep with congestion and volume of visitors by talking to some local newspapers…
Another highlight for me was getting the opportunity to talk to the Stonemason Charles Juhlenski and see him at work. For several months he worked hard repairing and maintaining a couple of flights from the total of six which make up Whaligoe Steps.
Before the end of 2021, on my regular treks down the Steps I was privileged to discover a baby grey seal on the pebble shore. For thirteen days I monitored the transition as the white fur gave way to a grey coat, and the general confidence the pup developed as it became aware of its surroundings. Two blogs covered this experience and even now I am so warm-hearted by the whole encounter.
Baby grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)
Me with a salvage of plastic pollution
Baby grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) – One of my last photos of a grey seal pup after monitoring it for 13 days…
I think that will do for what was supposed to be a condensed recap of the past few months here at Whaligoe Steps.
The positive feedback and support from local folk as well as those beautiful people from around the globe, from Australia to Africa, Canada and the U.S., to many other interesting parts of the Earth, have been at times sincerely overwhelming. I thank you one and all.
It would be remiss of me not to say that your continued support simply visiting and reading some of the content; following the various social media enterprises associated with this website; and those who subscribed to this venture via the online form, are very much appreciated and add to the unity of cultural insight and awareness of this area of the Highlands coastline in Scotland. You also get to peek behind a curtain and relate to community impact in the face of a perceived apathy and uncomfortable political situation. I share my humble gratitude with you and look forward to sharing more of this unfolding true story with you.
This year, 2022, is looking like it will be one truly insane time! Where unassuming visitors and residents already battle-weary, will be confronting another dangerous and chaotic arena of feverish activities. Not only is access for emergency services in question, but sadly the constant call for updates within the infrastructure here to cater for toilet facilities, better signage, safer conditions for pedestrians, better parking allocation, and perhaps some communication/transparency from the Highland Council with the residents regarding intentions or plans which may be ahead.
Be assured that it’s my intention to continue working on updates for this website throughout 2022. Covering as much of the evolving landscape, wildlife, revealing the history as I research it, and capturing the carnage which is to follow as the months creep forward.
Thank You again, you’re amazing. Take care and stay safe.
