Findlater Castle.

Last night, when I went to change the camera battery, I found that the spare was flat; a gross oversight of normal procedure, so I put it on charge.

I cycled to Findlater Castle after breakfast, it looked an interesting place to go although there isn't much of the castle remaining. Got out the camera - flat battery - I'd forgotten to either fit the spare or put it in my camera bag; it was a thirteen mile round trip to fetch the battery. I arrived back in brilliant sunshine but, by the time I'd finished taking photographs of the stunning scenery, the sky was black and the thunder was rumbling away. As I left the rain started and became very heavy so I cut my losses and beetled back to the B&B. The sun was out again by the time I arrived but, since the forecast was abominable, I stayed put waiting for the weather that didn't arrive until dusk.

The castle is a few miles from the village of Cullen (home of the smoked haddock and tattie soup, Cullen skink) and its history depends on which source you read; it would appear that ownership changed from the Ogilvies to the Gordons and back again caused by, and causing, much feuding. Built in about 1400 by John St Clair of Rosslyn (its design being based on that of Rosslyn Castle) or perhaps by the Ogilvies in 1455, it occupied the whole of the rock on which it stands but was abandoned by about 1650. Access is from the headland, fifty foot above, via a narrow, steep and tortuous path cut by a run-off stream from a field - usable with care - but was originally by a more formal path with two bridges spanning gaps in the rock; it was only ever possible to reach it by foot.
The name Findlater means "white cliff" from the marble which is clearly visible where the soil and vegetation is worn or washed away.