Picture: Spot the seals in the bay – St Margaret’s Hope in the winter
Getting started
Most people begin their visit to St Margaret’s Hope in Cromarty Square. It is where the buses and coach tours stop – but it is also a good starting point. If you are in a car, with luck there will be a free parking space, otherwise, it is a case of street parking or heading up to the Church Road car park (click for map).
There are toilets at one end of the square (next to the Smiddy Museum which is also well worth a visit!) In the middle of the Square is the Cromarty Hall. At the other end (by the corner with the anchor), you can view the bay, harbour and surrounding, countryside. From here, you can tour the village via Front Road, Marengo, Church Road and Back Road. This brings you back to where you started.
Plaques with QR codes are dotted around the village. Scan the codes with your phone and listen to local people talk about the village’s history. Start your walk to the left of the anchor by the bay. There you will find three white squares attached to the lamppost. These are stops 3 – Spences Pier, 4 – Spences stores, and 5 – Cafe.
Front Road and Marengo
Front Road was the heart of the village in its heyday as a fishing port. The bank, post office and various shops were here, alongside slipways for boats, sheds and warehouses. The two cottages by the slipway were, in fact, originally warehouses (Spences stores). The first shop is the Workshop and Gallery (a craft co-op in which all the founding members of Hope CoHousing were involved). Previously, the shop had been Leith’s – the clothier and draper.
Leith’s shop in the early 1900s. [Orkney Library & Archives]
Your next stop is by the Front Road (road sign). Under it, are two further QR codes – 8) which discusses Leith’s shop; and 9) about cows. If you look at the bay from the car park opposite the Bellevue Inn, to your right you will see further slipways (there were more in the heyday of the fishing industry). On the righthand house wall next to the car parking you will find another three codes: 11) talks about Herbert Mackenzie’s shop; 12) discusses Front Road itself; and 13) explores The Crafty.
Walk along the street until you come to a second parking area. Just by Garleton Cottage (which is ahead), turn right and walk up the steps. This will take you to the back gate (straight ahead) for the Marengo Community Garden. Established and maintained by local people, the garden is well-used. The map of the ‘Listening Walk’ is by the front entrance on Marengo Road. By the map you will find stop 16) Canaries.
Return to the back entrance and turn right. Follow the path past some cottages and continue by the bay until you get to Hope Cottage [stop 14 – Spies is on a fence post just before the cottage]. You can then walk round the Marengo Centre to stop 15 [Marengo].
Church Road and St. Margaret’s
From here it is worth turning right onto Marengo Road. he road and then left onto Church Road. Before starting uphill – look back down the road to the bay. At the bottom on the left is the Gospel Hall.
Up the hill, we find Doull’s Store and just to the left of the entrance are another two QR Codes. 17) is about Doulls itself and 18) is about vans. Opposite it is Robertson’s Coffee House and Bar. Further up the hill is St Margaret’s Kirk. Even further up the hill 9and a left turn onto St Margaret’s Road and right turn onto the A961) you will find by the war memorial 19) P.O.W.s).
You can return to Cromarty Square by walking back down the hill and turning left just past Doulls. This takes you down Back Road. It goes past another product of community-led activity: the children’s play area. A little further on, you will see a short road to Front Road on your right and next to the Murray Arms another road to your left.
Close to here, you will find another two QR Codes – 10a which tells the story of one of Winston Churchill’s visits to the Hope (he was here on both naval and defence issues (particularly linked to the construction of the Barriers). The second discusses Back Road itself.
Returning to the square, you will find further examples of community-led activity – The Cromarty Hall and The Smiddy Museum. A few metres along St. Margaret’s Road are three more examples: the golf course, the bowling green and the tennis court.
If you still have the energy – School Road and/or the Harbour
Walk up School Road past the Smiddy Museum. On the opposite side of the road, just before the tennis court and bowling green, you will see a track. Walk a few metres up this and look to your right. You will see a garden and shed. This is listed as the site of Sant Margrat in the Howp (St Margaret’s Chapel).
There are also two further stops on the Listening Walk along School Road if you have the energy. The first concerns the tennis court – 20). Tennis Court; the second involves reflections by old pupils on life in the old school 10. School. You will pass three houses on your left, and then on your right is the old school (now a Healthy Living Centre).
A further option is to return to Cromarty Square and walk along the road to the Harbour.
Take care as there is no pavement. You will see plenty of interesting sea birds, and seals at the right time of year (winter). About half-way you will find an old Bothy that has served various purposes such as housing (for around 13 people), a hospital/clinic, and storage.
A little further on you will find two further stops on the listening tour – 6). reflections on sailing and 7). explores the Pier.
On your return along the road, it is worth walking up the steps opposite the slipway (and next to the Bothy. At the top, you will come to a Renaissance gateway at Smiddy Banks dating from the 1600’s. The farmhouse you see was built on the site of a two-storied post-Medieval Mansion house (Canmore). You can return to the village by walking down the farm track and then picking up the road.