Another beautiful sunny day. Our first stop was the picturesque village of Cromarty. Unfortunately, our early arrival (10 am) meant that most of the attractions we wanted to see were yet to open. However, we found joy in exploring the quaint streets of this charming, peaceful village. This contrasted with looking out onto the Cromarty Firth and seeing several towering oil rigs parked in the waters.

In the afternoon, we had a very enjoyable short walk to see two small waterfalls at Fairy Glen Falls. It is easy to see why this is called Fairy Glen Walk as there is definitely magic in the air as your walk through this hidden gem.

As for the fairies, it’s said that long ago, children would decorate the spring near the falls with wildflowers as a tribute to the fairies to keep the waters clear for drinking and washing. We did not see any fairies, but we did see a couple of ducks at the Mill Pond.

We ended our day in Portmahomack at The Oystercatcher, a charming bed and breakfast run by an elderly couple. The woman manages the front of the house while her husband, a self-taught chef, prepares the meals. The food was excellent, featuring the best homemade bread we have ever tasted and numerous appetisers served. The house was filled with antiques, and each room, including the bedrooms, had delightful little touches that made it feel old-worldly and special. Unfortunately, while they advertised having Wi-Fi, the signal was poor, and I couldn’t connect to the internet.