Balintore, Shandwick and Hilton are the three small villages described as the Seaboard Villages of Easter Ross. The fishing hamlets on the Moray Firth pack a mighty punch in terms of history, heritage and natural beauty, and they’re quite simply everything to Maureen Ross. She’s a volunteer, director, Highland councillor and proud new great-grandparent, but despite her busy life, Maureen can’t bring herself to leave the Seaboard villages for more than a couple of weeks.
1. The fascinating heritage of the Seaboard Villages Maureen has been fascinated by the rich heritage of the villages, be it in faith, fishing or folklore, since she was a small child. She said: “All of these things inspire me and that inspiration came from a grand aunt called Jessie MacDonald who wrote the book ‘Down to the Sea’ which is all about the social life of these fishing villages going back over 100 years now.
“She was very community-minded and I suppose in some ways I have picked up the mantel from her as for over 50 years now my community involvement has seen me on various community groups and organisations. “I was especially delighted when the idea of the came to fruition in 2014, Jessie would have approved of that, and it is still on the go.” 2.
A sense of belonging Maureen’s sense of belonging to the villages is profound. “I love the sense of belonging and home that these villages give me, knowing so many of the folks around you. “Even visiting cities leaves me uneasy, ho.