Thurso II (Donald Thomson): Week 16 – 20 May

On Saturday, another milestone on the road to recovery from grief was passed – our wedding anniversary.  It would have been the thirty-ninth.  A few days before, partly to mark the occasion, and mostly because the weather was gorgeous, a friend and I drove to Helmsdale, about 35 miles away.  It’s the first time in nearly six months I’ve been that far south.  Why was Helmsdale the chosen destination?  We both needed an adventure, to see somewhere less familiar.  And it’s the time of year the gorse is blooming over the hills and hedgerows, lighting the field edges with neon yellow and clothing the hillsides in golden cloaks.  The entire hillside behind the town is covered in glowing gorse.  It’s so thick that you can discern the fragrance of coconut on approaching the town. It’s an amazing sight, and only happens during a few weeks in spring.  On sunny spring Sundays, Gordon and I tried to visit every year.

Gorse and ‘The Emigrants’ statue

A few miles inland, at Kildonan, a different kind of natural richness was found.  It’s difficult to envision now, but for a brief few months in 1869 the population swelled by 600.  Gold had been found, and Scotland had its own Gold Rush.  Two settlements developed, one of wooden huts and another of tents.  Soon, the Duke of Sutherland, the landowner, issued licences for prospecting plus a 10% royalty for any finds.  But there wasn’t much gold; when herring season approached, numbers started to dwindle.  There was a further decline when winter set in.  Finally, due to pressure from local fishermen and crofters, the scheme ended on 30 December 1869, and the gold rush was over.

Berriedale

But we didn’t go to Kildonan. Instead, we drove to Berriedale for coffee, cake, and the shore.  Most folk stop at the café then continue their journey.  We stopped at the café too, but then crossed the road and ambled to the beach.  Even this short walk isn’t for the faint-hearted, as the beach is reached by crossing over the burn on a wobbly plank and cable footbridge.  There’s a warning sign at the start:  only two people on the bridge at one time, and No Jumping on the Bridge.  But it’s worth grasping your courage (and the cable handrails) to cross.  The little cove is a hidden gem – a shingle beach covered with smooth, sparkly, sea-worn stones, and cliffs on either side.  The ruins of Berriedale Castle crown the top of one of the cliffs, commanding the burn below.  Kittiwake nest on its jagged sides.  On the other side, further along the shore and over the rocks, there’s a cave.  It’s a beautiful spot.  We had an excellent adventure.

Sea Thrift (Armeria marítima)

After last week’s setbacks with the gansey, good progress has been made, and the milestone of a finished sleeve is in sight.  The cuff is about half-finished, and the rows seem to whiz by in no time at all.  All being well, it will be done in a few days, and then it will be time to tackle picking up the stitches for the remaining sleeve.