Scotland4me.net Out and About

	Scotland4me.net	'Out and About'
'Strathpeffer'
	Strathpeffer (Srath Pheofhair in Gaelic) is a village (population 1,469) and former spa town in Ross and Cromarty. That is in the Highlands of Scotland, a short five mile journey to west of Dingwall. It lies in a glen, two-hundred to four-hundred feet above sea level. It is sheltered on the west and north. Amazingly it has a comparatively dry and warm climate. Interestingly the Strathpeffer and District Pipe Band and local Highland dancers perform in the square every Saturday from end May to September. The Rogie falls (picture left) are also a popular attraction.
	Strathpeffer Spa and Pavilion was the centre of entertainment in the Victorian spa village. Built in 1879, it provided entertainment, that is concerts, dances and cabaret which was enjoyed by both visitors and locals alike. It served as a hospital during the First World War. Remained in use until the 1980s. It had a boost as a venue for well-known rock bands. But the builidng deteriorated over the years. However, prior to being reopened in 2004 the pavilion was restored by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust. Now part of a tourist trail it fulfils its original purpose and is an ideal venue for art exhibitions, weddings and conferences.
	Cromarty is more than just an eighteenth century town. It provides modern day travellers and holidaymakers with a wealth of attractions for example sandy beaches, unusual architecture, Bottlenose Dolphins, eating places, a multi-award winning museum, beautiful countryside, wildlife and bird reserves of international importance to name but a few. Cromarty's livelihood, for over 700 years, has depended on its proximity to the sea and to its fertile farm lands. Its fortunes have fluctuated peaking in the seventeenth century trading with Norway, Sweden, Holland and even the Mediterranean and then again in the herring boom of the nineteenth century when dozens of fishing boats sailed from its harbour. Cromarty is a beautiful place to visit or stay, a centre from which to travel the Highlands or just a quiet retreat from the hurly burly of the main tourist routes. Hugh Milller the self taught geologist who wrote about the history of the earth with an eloquence, breadth of imagination and descriptive power like no one else has then or since was born here.
	Free Church is a key feature of the village. It was on 1843 the Church of Scotland split into two. The main reason being Patronage (where the local Laird presented a minister to the congregation). Many felt that congregations should be free to call their own minister. This resulted in breakaway Free Church of Strathpeffer. In 1896 discussions started between the Free and the United Presbyterian Churches to form a union. Despite difficulties, this marriage took place in 1900 to form the United Free Church. Most Free Church members went with this Union, but some did not. Therefore numbers at the Free Church dropped from 362 in 1891 to 95 in 1901.
	Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club: A quick excerpt from Pat Seelig in an American Golf Magazine. "All it takes is to chip beneath the thick veneer of the British Open rota conspicuously St. Andrews's Old Course, Muirfield, Royal Troon, and Turnberry and venture to the places where true Scots carry the banner of those apple-cheeked burghers who battled the whins, winds, and waves to bring golf into the world. Call it serendipity or just plain luck, but after a search of the Scottish Highlands, I found the real Scotland - not as we fantasize, but as it is today. It was there on a bright, cool, September Saturday at what may be one of the finer hidden treasures in all Scotland - Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club"
	Church of Scotland - Fodderty is still used for burials and contains the site of the old church, which was in use up until the end of the eighteenth century. In 1807 a new church was built. Subsequently the Victorian Spa resort at Strathpeffer was being developed, and the centre of the parish was moved from the old rural heart at Fodderty, to the western extreme of the parish. By 1901, the congregation were made overtures to the Church of Scotland, to build a new church in Strathpeffer. In March 1902 with the new church in place at the west end of Strathpeffer, the congregation moved. The old church formally at Kilvannie became a dwelling house in 1904.
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