In The Area

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="1488dfc3.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="1498dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Old Telephone Exchange</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Old Telephone Exchange"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U>About Us</U></A>   |   <B>In The Area</B>   |   <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Green Room"><U>Green Room</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gold Room"><U>Gold Room</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tarriff"><U>Tarriff</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="1498dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>In The Area</I></div> <bR> <div>  Old Telephone Exchange is located two and a half miles east of the seaside resort of Nairn, or seven miles west of the Historic Market town of Forres.</div> <div> Inverness Airport is only a 15 minute drive away, Inverness city is 17 miles away.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1989f9f0.png" border=0 width="415" height="415" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div>  Old Telephone Exchange is located within the small triangle to the right of Gallows Hill.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="194c1ed0.png" border=0 width="449" height="237" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The red road on the above map is the A96.</div> <bR> <div> Places to visit.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Auldearn</U></B></div> <bR> <div> A small village in a parish of the same name, Auldearn lies to the east of the River Nairn, 2 miles (3 km) east of Nairn in the Highland Council Area.</div> <div> It takes its name from the old castle of Eren (Old Eren), built here in the mid-12th Century. This was William the Lyon's stronghold during his expeditions in the north and it was here that Robert the Bruce accepted the surrender of the rebellious men of Ross.</div> <div> Although Auldearn was an early Scottish burgh, it lost its status c.1190 with the founding of Nairn close by.</div> <div> Amidst the earthworks of the old castle on a hill overlooking Auldearn stands the white-harled Boath Dovecote which was built in the 17th century to serve Boath House. This private mansion to the north east of the village was rebuilt in the 1820s for Sir James Dunbar to a Gothic design by the architect Archibald Simpson of Aberdeen. The dovecote and medieval motte were presented to the National Trust for Scotland in 1947 by Brigadier J. Muirhead of Boath. </div> <div> Auldearn is perhaps best remembered as the site of a battle fought in May 1645 on boggy ground to the south west of the village. Here, the Royalist forces of the Marquis of Montrose routed a Covenanting army led by Sir John Hurry. The battle is recalled in local place-names such as Dead Wood and in memorial stones in the north porch of the parish church which dates from 1757. This building replaced an earlier church dedicated to St Colm or Columba who is said to have had a chapel here in the 6th century and whose name was also commemorated until the 1880s in the local St Colm's annual fair.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Gallows Hill</B>, right next door to Old Telephone Exchange! thought to be the place where <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#3300FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/newspapers/sunday_times/scotland/article612946.ece" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/newspap"><U>Isobel Gowdie</U></A></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#231F20" FACE="GoudyOldStyleBT-Roman" > a self confessed witch, was allegedly burned a the stake.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>NAIRN</U></B></div> <div> Nairn  a 5 minute drive to the west, has been a spa holiday town for well over a hundred years with beautiful beaches and even its own "micro-climate", it is said to be even sunnier and warmer than places just a few miles away, such as Inverness; visit Nairn's harbour and view its yachts or take a boat trip offshore to see the only place in Scotland with a resident dolphin population. Nairn boasts 2 championship golf courses and another 20 within easy reach. Fishing, Bowling, Museum, Sandy Beaches, Swimming Pool. </div> <div> Just a 20 minute drive to Inverness & Loch Ness On the Moray Firth with its resident population of dolphins and seals. Walking, Bird watching, Highland country sports, Highland Games in many Highland towns during the season. Horse riding. Fascinating tours of the many whisky distilleries within easy reach. </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Touring Historic castles </FONT><A HREF="http://www.cawdorcastle.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.cawdorcastle.com/"><U>Cawdor</U></A>,   <A HREF="http://www.scotland-inverness.co.uk/Chatelaine/BRODIE.HTM" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.scotland-inverness.co.uk/Chat"><U>Brodie</U></A>.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>FORRES</U></B></div> <bR> <div> This Royal Burgh, famous for its floral sculptures in Grant Park (see pic below), was winner of the 1999 Britain in Bloom competition. Local sports facilities include golf, swimming pool, tennis courts, horse riding, squash, badminton, bowling, etc. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="19a239c0.jpg" border=0 width="547" height="412" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Pluscarden Abbey</B> The original monastery, founded by Alexander II in 1230, was burnt, probably by the Wolf of Badenoch who also destroyed Elgin Cathedral. It was restored in the 14th and 19th centuries, and reoccupied in 1948 by Benedictines from Prinknash.</div> <bR> <div>  <B>Elgin Cathedral</B> (20 minute drive) - Founded in 1224, the cathedral was known as the Lantern of the North and the Glory of the Kingdom because of its beauty. In 1390 it was burnt, along with most of the town. Although it was rebuilt, it fell into ruin after the Reformation.  </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.baxters.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.baxters.com/"><U><B>Baxters</B></U></A></div> <div> World famous producer of fine foods and visitor centre. Located in the town of Fochabers</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.benromach.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.benromach.com/"><U><B>Benromach</B></U></A><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Distillery</FONT></div> <div> (Forres’s local distillery). </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/forres/dallasdhu/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/fo"><U><B>Dallas Dhu</B></U></A><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Distillery</FONT></div> <div> (5 minute drive from Forres)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/"><U><B>Cairngorm Mountains</B></U></A></div> <div> Explore the famous Cairngorm mountain and visitor centre, travel on the funicular railway. Less than an hour’s drive away.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.nts.org.uk/Culloden/Home/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.nts.org.uk/Culloden/Home/"><U><B>Culloden Battlefield</B></U></A></div> <div> Culloden Moor, scene of the last pitched battle in Britain, is one of the most iconic and emotive sites in Scotland.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.forres-net.co.uk/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.forres-net.co.uk/"><U><B>More about Forres</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.nairnscotland.co.uk/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.nairnscotland.co.uk/"><U><B>More about Nairn</B></U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B> <embed src="HTMLobj-411/Joe_Cocker___Jennifer_Warnes_-_Up_Where_We_Belong.mp3" autostart="true" hidden="true">  </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>