Charging the phone in Inverness

 On Sunday evening I landed in Inverness station with hardly any phone charge since the train PowerPoints did not work, and it took a while for me to realize that. Many photos later. This was important as all the directions to get into my guesthouse were on the phone.

Sipping my lemonade in the train station pub, charging my phone and checking the walking route to the R……. Guesthouse. I am not naming it a si did not give it a good review.

I had a nice English couple across the table on the journey up to Inverness who kept me informed of where we passing through at any one time. They are staying at Muir of Ord where I will be tomorrow, so I might see them in the street! This was the home of the Bains in 1841.

The funny thing on the trip out, when chatting to a couple heading off to London, I learned that they lived in Kirkhill, home of the Bains in 1851. I had been to Moniack Castle or Tower but it was not visible. A very small world indeed.

The Guesthouse

By no means was this a Fawlty Towers experience. For a start there was no staff on-site, and there was really great wi-fi, but why did the password have to have 30 numbers? I got it on the fourth try.

The first weird thing was that the front door was ajar, but of course how else could I get in when there are no staff. I had to place my hand on a plate to alight a number pad, enter the code I had received in an email, and turn a latch and I was in. I hope they change that code regularly. The key to my room was in the door!

My single room was the width of a hallway and a staircase, and that’s how they got another room into the terrace house. Hardly any room to turn around EXCEPT in the very spacious shower! Much bigger than many I’ve seen, with a push button to work the entire system - no probs.

The bed was good, but without a desk, it was no fun typing into the iPad on my lap. On both nights I had a bought sandwich, and for breakfast scones with fruit!

It was a 15 minute walk into the city Centre, across a foot bridge over River Ness, and it was not an inspiring vista. I still am learning the Google Map thing - often forgetting to press Start, and not really seeing which way the blue dot is moving. In all attempts I resort to a living human being and that seems to sort it.

Reminds me of the railway saying: if you see a problem, See it, Say it, Sort it. A constant announcement on all the UK trains, and in a classic east ender accent too.

Kelly would be proud

Kelly knows I do not like wandering around on my own in strange cities. But after recovering somewhat from the tour, and having eaten my sandwich, I realised it was only 6.30pm, loads of sunlight. And there really was not time to try to find an address in the morning. My train left at 8am. 

Not far from the guesthouse was where Catherine Matheson, wife of Alexander Bain, remember the people who lived in the great stone cottage, died in 1864 of “general derangement of the system of 11 days”, what the hell could that mean?

I had checked the map, only 3 streets away, I had to do it that evening. I wrote the 3 direction changes I had to make on my palm and set off. Of course I got lost using Google maps, of course my palm was right!

I was half successful. No 8 Fairfield Lane no longer exists, nor do any of the even numbered houses. They were now a car park for a food outlet as there were shopping trolleys, not for Tesco, which was a further block away. But the odd numbered ones were still there. I think they give a sense of the scale involved, don’t you? All are modernized of course on the inside.

So that was my first taste of Inverness and I did not like it that much. I am sure it will improve with a comfy hotel, a tour bus and everything provided!

I have booked a hour long consultation with Anne Fraser - the genealogist of the north according to the Hawick archivist and our cousin, Clan Chief of the MacLennons. That will mean missing a tour of the Inverness museum. But I can do that after by myself. By the way the Chief is coming to meet me for drinks at my hotel, since I don’t have a car. On the same day as my genealogist consultation. It will be a big day!