Before leaving Ullapool and the Royal Hotel, let me say once again how much I enjoyed my night here. A queen bed and a large shower and I am ready to face the second half of our tour. However, having a few minutes to spare prior to boarding our coach, I walked just a ways down the street to a statue I had noticed the evening before. As I suspected, it was the local memorial to those who had died in WWI and WWII. As I have noted elsewhere, these are quite common throughout my travels in England, Ireland, Scotland and Autstralia. The red sandstone monument is topped with a female figure in white marble stooping and holding a wreath and on the six marble tablets are inscribed 58 names of WWI casualties and 26 of WWII. Beneath the stooping figure are engraved these words “To the Glory of God and in Honoured Memory of the Men of Ullapool and Surrounding Districts who Fell in the Great War Dileas Gu Bas.” 
The Gaelic phrase translates “Faithful Unto Death”.
I see that the vast majority of the fallen served in the Seaforth Highlanders. This regiment was born just a few years following the Bold ‘45 (culminating in the Battle of Culloden) when Kenneth, the last Earl of Seaforth, raised the 72nd Highlanders. They later became the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders when they amalgamated with the 78th Highlanders that had be raised by the MacKenzies of Seaforth.
As we leave Ullapool, we are quite sur-
It is soon evident that we have left behind the whites of Lewis & Harris and the country side is beginning to take on shades of yellow. This is chiefly Scotch Broom that seems to be lingering from spring into summer and gorse that appears in large clumps along hillsides and the wee braes. We also begin to 
see large patches of buttercups. (These will eventually turn to large fields of yellow gold throughout Caithness and into the Orkneys.)
Our first stop on this day is the Falls of Shin on the River Shin near Lairg. The Shin River is well known for salmon that swim upstream to the headwaters to spawn. And the Falls present a natural barrier that the salmon must leap. Though the Atlantic Salmon are, uh, frisky from May to November, unfortunately for us, none ventured out on this day. In another quirk of fate, the Falls and much of the surrounding area is owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, the father of Dodi Fayed, the boy-
From the Falls, we continued on until we intersected the A9 highway at Loch Fleet. We thence proceeded northward to our next destination -
At Dunrobin, a number of birds of prey are kept and trained in the ancient ways of Falconry, including eagles, hawks, owls and, of course, falcons. Twice daily a display is put on to the delight of tourists by the resident professional Falconer, Andy Hughes. Mr. Hughes explained why, of the three birds he presented, a hawk, a falcon and an owl, two of the three have a crop for storing food. Surprisingly, the owl does not require a crop because he is the most efficient of the major hunting birds. His efficiency allows him to catch food as he needs it and therefore, has no need of a crop. The less efficient hawk and falcon must store food to allow for the extended period that they may encounter between feedings.
Dunrobin is also known for its extensive gardens. Being quite large and spread out, I must say that I prefer the smaller more intimate gardens of Chrathes Castle.
Leaving Dunrobin, we pushed on to Lybster and the Portland Arms Hotel. Tomorrow it’s on to Orkney.
A small part of the Dunrobin gardens. Beyond the trees is the Falconry grounds and beyond that the North Sea.
Making port at Ullapool, Ross & Cromarty
A little pre–dinner drink in the bar of the Royal Hotel
Ullapool Harbour at evening light
The Cemetery at Ullapool
The Ullapool War Memorial
In the restaurant of the Royal Hotel
“Erected to the
memory of a
Highlander by
an English friend”
