Day 2-The Fortress of King George

Today I went to Fort George north of Inverness overlooking the Firth of Moray. It was built beginning in 1748 after the Jacobite uprising as a fortified garrison for the British army. It still serves that purpose today and is the home of the Black Watch Battalion 3 Scots.

The fort was actually built to defend from a land attack and is surrounded by water on 3 sides. The front has an outer layer of defenses with a large ditch between these and the fort. Steps allowed soldiers leave the outer defenses and get inside after the drawbridge had been raised.

The Firth is still patrolled by a Highland regiment of dolphins.

Being on the Firth also provides some spectacular views, even on an overcast rainy day.

The chapel was added as an afterthought to the original plan but is beautiful inside. The banners were carried into battle by the regiments that served there, some going back several hundred years while others have been in Baghdad.

The stained glass window over the altar has what is believed to be the only bagpipe playing angel in Christendom! Just further proof that the pipes provide heavenly music.

The original barracks buildings are still in use as well. They also have some displays showing how much harder it was on soldiers when the fort was built. In the early days, 8 soldiers shared a room with 4 beds and if they were married their wife stayed there too doing the cooking and cleaning. It was many years before the army decided that married soldiers should be in separate quarters.

Here are a few more pictures from my visit to Fort George.

Slainte!!