History trails

The Tarbat Peninsula is an area of historic importance and is the centre of the Highland Pictish trail.

Just a mile from The Mandrel you can spend a morning finding out about the Picts and their way of life at the Tarbat Discovery Centre.

Take a trip round the seaboard villages of Shandwick, Balintore and Hilton to see the Shandwick stone, dating from 780AD and a replica of the Hilton of Cadboll stone dating from 800AD.  The Hilton of Cadboll stone was carved after the conversion of the Picts to Christianity and has a Christian cross on its reverse side. It is considered to be one of the finest 8th-century sculptures in Western Europe. The original stone is in the National Museum of Scotland.

Have coffee or lunch at the Seaboard Memorial Hall before driving on to see the Nigg Stone at Nigg Old Church.