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Clann Gunn Museum
The Clan Gunn Heritage Centre and Museum is in the old 18th century village church.
Open Monday - Saturday during the summer season. Also Sundays from afternoons in July and August. There is a small admission
charge. There are 77 septs associated with clan Gunn (e.g. Georgeson, Henderson, Jamieson, Johnson, Nelson, Manson, Robison,
Robson, Sandison, Swanson, Williamson, Wilson) - so visit and see if your family name is one of them. Tel:
01593 741700
Dunbeath Heritage Center
Situated on
the A9 North, Open daily 10am - 5pm from April to October. Small admission charge. Tel/fax: 01593 731233 Dunbeath
Heritage Center and Trust
Timespan
Timespan Heritage Centre is a museum of social and natural history, an art gallery, gift shop, herb garden and café it
has recently been refurbished, and hosts changing exhibitions and events. It has a beautiful riverside location, just off
the A9 in Helmsdale. Open daily 09.30 - 17.00 Sun 14.00 -17.00 April to October. A programme of events/activities for both children and adults
available throughout the summer. Contact: Ms Sarah Egan, Dunrobin Street, Helmsdale, Sutherland,
KW8 6JX Scotland
www.timespan.org.uk
Laidhay Croft Museum
An example of the older type
of Caithness croft building has been preserved by the trust. It is a long single storey
building with the traditional byre being incorporated into the dwelling. TheThatched Croft would originally have been very
similar in construction to the buildings seen here.
Many local people have donated
items covering many periods and provide an interesting look at what has been used in the area. The property has a thatched
roof sitting on a bed of turfs or divots. The walls are pointed with lime and whitewashed.
The barn is in excellent
condition and shows many features from the period.
A walk through the house will whisk you back to a simpler age and give
a brief insight into the lives of the hardy crofters of Caithness.
The croft is situated just
outside Dunbeath on the main road north Caithness.org/Laidhay
Waterlines
The exhibition centre run by Lybster Heritage Trust, situated at Lybster harbour. Heritage and wildlife displays, video to watch
and a CCTV console with remote control through which you can watch birds on the cliffs. Coffee shop. Open daily May to September
11am - 5pm. Telephone 01593 721520.
Mary Ann's Cottage
This cottage, just by Dunnet, has been virtually untouched in the last
150 years. Worth a visit to step back in time to see how people lived in those days. Nowadays, Mrs. Mary-Ann Calder's former
home is in the care of the Caithness Heritage Trust. Open afternoons Tuesday - Sunday, June - September. Tel: 01955 603385
to confirm.
Archaeological Sites
Ferrycroft Countryside
Centre, Lairg
About
an hours drive from the cottage, here you will find there is plenty of advice on local walks from the countryside ranger service.
Also starting from the centre is the Ord Archaeology Trail over the Ord Hill, seeing Bronze Age house sites, Neolithic
cairns,
a burnt mound and medieval cultivation
Carn Liath,
Three miles south of Brora is a preserved Iron Age broch, Carn Liath. You can walk there by the coastal
path between Brora and Golspie, six miles away. Seals can be seen along the walk, and even otters if you are lucky, or you
can park up in the parking space just off the A9.
Camster Cairns
Take
the little road inland just north of the village of Lybster, and after 5 miles you will reach the Grey Cairns of Camster. You will have
to crawl if you want to get inside these chambers which are 5000 years old.
Hill O’ Many Stanes
North of Lybster on the main
A9 road you can visit the Kyleburn Confectionery factory. Near here is the Hill O' Many Stanes which features rows of early
Bronze Age stone
Cairn of Get
Further up the A9 road at
Ulbster is the Cairn of Get which is 24m long and 14m wide.
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