Written
by Alexander Gunn, A Native of Badbea, and published in the Northern
Ensign, August
17,
1882. Part A
“The
rocks below Badbea, as previously stated were very rugged and
dangerous. Auchencraig was the only place where a bit of smooth shore
could be got for a boat to land at. Here our winter fishing boat lay,
but it was fully a mile distant, which was felt to be very
inconvenient. There was a bit of smooth shore at Traifhad (“long
ebb”), which was suited very well if we could get access to it, but
that was the difficulty.”
“However,
there was no end of surmounting difficulties in Badbea, and my
esteemed father surmounted this one. He found out a part of the rock
at the foot of Laidmore, where he thought he could cut out a path to
the shore. The distance was not very great, but the work was very
dangerous and difficult. He took a strong rope and tied it round his
body, the other end being fastened to a saugh tree, and with his pick
and other tools he cut steps into the rock, all the way down till he
reached the shore. Part of this path had to be carried over a ravine,
and several planks fixed together, with a wooden railing fixed to the
outside of the planks. Immediately underneath this part was a cave to
which the sea extended when the tide was in, and the least false step
would land one down in the mouth of this cave to rise no more.”
“This
dangerous path was used for many a year in going to and coming from
the fishing. During frosty weather in winter it was one solid sheet
of ice, at which time we went up and down by means of a rope fixed to
a bush at the top, but it was a very critical process.”
A
NATIVE OF BADBEA
(To
be continued)
 |
This
photo from the Ires Geo – which is further north of Badbea, near
Thrumster, looks as though it could be similar to the rock face that
John Gunn built his track on. But this photo was taken in the summer
– imagine how dangerous it would be if it was ‘one solid sheet of
ice’ plus a barrel of whisky on one’s back.
Source:
Swann, B. (2012) East Caithness
Cliffs SPA Site Condition Monitoring 2005. Scottish
Natural
Heritage Commissioned Report No.148.
|
My
Comments:
The
resilience of the Badbea folk was amazing.
Although
it was used for many a year, in 1839 Alexander Gunn’s own
grandfather met his death on this path. John
Gunn was climbing up this
precipitous cliff face with a keg of
whisky on his back when he fell on the
rocks and lost his life. See
Blog, 4 September 2019, Fell off the Cliff.
William
Gunn describes him as: John Gunn of Achnacraig (as he was called)
lived to the age of 84 – and at that age still erect although his
hair was as snow – was wonderfully active. Like his father, however
he came to an untimely end. The sea was tinged with blood at the spot
where he fell, and John, who was respected by all who knew him was
taken up dead. He is listed on the Badbea Monument.
