On the morning of my birthday we travelled to Wick to do some essential shopping, and on the way back as a warm up act to the main event of the day, a wildlife cruise which I shall write about in due time we called in at the ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe.
RUIN AND WILDLIFE HAVEN
In it’s heyday this castle would have been an imposing sight (it was very obviously built to intimidate, and had little in the way of style), although its location is testament to the absence of any kind of field artillery – even Ballistae and scorpions as used by the Romans hundreds of years before it was built could have caused mayhem by targetting the rock formations around the castle and effectively subjecting those in the castle to a hail of rock fragments – in Scotland in that period. Nowadays it is an impressive ruin, and also home to many kinds of wildlife, both fauna and flora. There are some stunningly good views out over the sea. If you ever happen to be in this corner of Scotland it is worth a look, though it would not be the main event of one’s day.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My photographs begin with a few from before we got to the castle, cover the walk from the parking area to the castle and the castle itself:
The Girnigoe pics start here. 
Places on a similar latitude. 
This is NOT part of the ruins – it is a natural rock formation, one of many such in the area. 
The most terrifying looking ladder I have ever seen – and this part of Scotland can get seriously windy as well. 
aspiblog 