The view below one of the cannons at Fort George looking across the Moray Firth beyond Chanonry Point and the Black Isle to distant snowy mountains.  We enjoyed glorious views of blue sea and sky and white mountains as we travelled by bus and then walked along the shore from Ardersier to the fort.  The only disappointment was not to see any dolphins but we knew that would be unlikely at this time of year with the state of the tides.

The fort is “the mightiest artillery fortification in Britain” and was built to control further unrest after the Jacobite rising in 1745 and Battle of Culloden.  It has remained virtually unchanged since it was built although the conditions in the barracks are very much improved for the 500 soldiers who are stationed there now.  The place is open to visitors and there is much to see including exhibits of life as it would have been when the fort was built but the presence of uniformed soldiers reminded us that it is still used today by the army.