Sunday 6 March 2011

Girnigoe Sinclair Castle

The view looking down from the castle.














A window view down to the rocks.


















A doorway out to the void.














one sleepy baby in a sling, when she woke she said she dreamed about the sea.














the footbridge at the site of the original castle drawbridge.




















The remains of the Castle and a trawler out to sea.














the walk over Noss head to the castle.












We visited the Castle of Girnigoe Sinclair. So named as it was originally Girnigoe castle, the seat of the Norse earls of Caithness, and then Sinclair Castle was built onto the site which is the ancestral seat of the Clan Sinclair. We were very lucky to visit at a time when the Castle, which is being renovated at present, was opened to some archaeology students from Glasgow university, so we were able to have a good look inside, and were most fortunate to meet the Earl of Caithness himself, the chief of the Clan Sinclair, who showed us around and told us a little of the restoration project and some of the history. A fascinating day of great fortune.

2 comments:

  1. An Earl is a title, like king. Duke, queen, etc, the earl of caithness is like the king, but he has no power now, he just owns land. The castle was built by his family 700 years ago.

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