Balnagown Estate

[IanS]

When I spotted this thread it triggered memories of when I lived in the area and I just had to add something to the thread.

My last visit on Balnagown Estate was to the Falls of Shin, I found a new visitor centre built there with a huge car park. I hadn’t been there since the 60’s. There was nothing there about Sir Charles Ross, only a full size model of Al Fayed in highland dress and lots of Harrods goods. We used to go right to the water’s edge to get close to the salmon as they jumped the falls, but this time the falls were fenced off.

I vaguely recall visiting the castle with my stepfather who rented a farm from Balnagown Estate, the visit would have been in the late 50's, if there were any rifles displayed, I don't recall seeing any, but then it was a long time ago. My stepfather and others in the area who used to know Sir Charles Ross, told me stories about him, one was that he had left Scotland for Canada owing a lot of tax to the Inland Revenue and in the local’s words, was branded an outlaw. I was also told that he would sneak back into Scotland on occasion to visit old friends who had no idea how he managed to avoid being caught, I think they saw him as a hero. I didn't hear anyone say otherwise, even though he was a bit of a prankster and had been known to toss a live cartridge into a host's living room fire during New Year festivities.

One of the memories this thread has triggered, was when a friend pulled two shotguns from a cupboard in his grandmother’s house they had once belonged to Sir Charles Ross. One was an eight or ten bore pinfire, the other was a percussion muzzle loader, both double barrels. My pal’s surname was Ross and there was some connection to Sir Charles Ross’, which I can’t remember.
I apologise if I went off subject, but I thought some of this might be of interest.