Culloden, Benromach Distillery and Cannich

Culloden

One of the reasons for going to the Highlands was to visit Culloden Moor – the site of the battle that ended the Jacobite uprising of 1745. The battle of Culloden  Moor took place on April 16, 1746. It was the last battle to be fought on British soil.

It was a bright, sunny day when we visited Culloden Moor. Perhaps it would have been more in keeping with the atmosphere of the place if the sky had been grey and the rain fell – but it wasn’t and it didn’t. Yet the sapphire blue sky did nothing to detract from the sombreness of the place.

I will not try to explain what led to the Jacobite uprising and the Battle of Culloden Moor. For anybody that decides to visit, the museum next to the battlefield gives a detailed explanation of the events that led to Culloden and the defeat of the Jacobite forces and Bonnie Prince Charlie at the hands of the British army led by the Duke of Cumberland. The bloody battle at Culloden only lasted one hour but close to 2000 Jacobites lost their life, together with 300 government soldiers.

A memorial cairn was erected in 1881 to commemorate the dead. In the same year, headstones were erected to mark the mass graves of the clans. The popular TV series ‘Outlander’ based on the books by Diana Gabaldon has ensured that many visitors leave a few wildflowers at the Fraser headstone.

Benromach Distillery

I am not much of a whisky drinker, in fact I don’t like whisky at all, but it felt like sacrilege to visit Scotland and not tour a distillery. We chose Benromach Distillery due to its vicinity to where we were staying and because, from start to finish, they distil the whisky the traditional way – by hand - without using modern equipment or technology. From the sourcing of the barley to the choice of wood barrel, each step of the process ensures that the final product is a beautifully balanced single malt with just a hint of smoke.

I learnt quite a bit about whisky during the one-hour guided tour that we took but, unfortunately, I wasn’t converted into a whisky-lover.

Cannich

It was our last evening in the Highlands and I didn’t want to leave this beautiful place without taking a drive to a scenic spot.

Cannich is gorgeous; a tiny hamlet surrounded by fields, in which cows were silently grazing. The views took my breath away, stretching as far away as the eye could see to the distant mountains. Cannich is situated at the head of two beautiful and remote glens: Glen Affric and Glen Cannich. Sadly, it was close to sunset and we had no more time for exploration. These two glens, which are largely roadless and must be toured on foot, will have to wait for our next visit – which is just as well because one has to have an excuse for returning to a place, wouldn’t you agree?

Locations: Culloden Moor, Benromach Distillery & Cannich (Scotland) – September 2018

This post brings to an end my series of articles about our holiday in Scotland. I hope to have some time before Christmas to write something more in keeping with this time of year.