◊ The Original Transport Cafe ◊
Berriedale Braes, Dunnet Head, Sheriffhales English Village.

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In 1883 Transport Cafes and Truck Stops were unheard of, quite naturally, long distance transport was confined to ships and rail. Local transportation was horse and cart, this included delivery of milk and food to establishments requiring a personal delivery service.

55 years ago milk delivery to your home was still quite often by horse and cart. The milk was contained in milk churns, tall round metal containers with a lid with a capacity of about 500 litres at a guess. The house holder would leave a container on the doorstep, often a jug with a cloth cover to keep fly’s off the milk, the milkman would use a ladle to measure the milk into the jug, usually a gill size. No cooling was employed by the milkman, as is often the case for home door delivery today.

A horse travelling a few miles would need water and food during the days travel, as would the horseman, the horseman had his lunch pack and possibly drink. The horse had a nose bag with a feed inside, also the horseman and the horse could get water from known points in the area, horse troughs in the towns and villages. Some roads had wells or water points or watering holes for this purpose.

The first photo shows such a watering hole supplied by the thoughtful engineer who constructed the road, good bless him of humble thought and disposition. Today the local authorities, to often, have a much higher opinion of themselves, and reflection on the words, "Self Praise is no Recommendation" would be a godly inclination, as they should be truly public servants in all activities, such as council building costs, fine expensive wooden doors, whilst their masters, the people themselves, more often have humble doors and internal finery. This however brings me to another phrase, "Change always comes from below, as no person with four aces asks for a new deal".

Onwards to watering holes for the travelling person,,, Hmm! Gota be careful! There, hi hi! Well I don’t want the ladies sending in lots of complaints rightfully,,,,

The first is on a single track road which connected the North West and North of Scotland with the Scottish east coast, apart from sea routes, on this new road was a watering hole. Another is shown on the B855, this was placed here by the then, Northern lighthouse Company, who had to construct a light house. The supply route was by sea to a specially constructed boat slip some 3 miles distant from the lighthouse, and then horse and cart by track, there was no (surfaced) metalled road. At a point en route the watering hole was constructed. Today this watering hole is covered in heather and bracken, but we located it for your interest, the government arrow of the works and bricks department is shown for the Northern Lighthouse Company, which I think had become a government department. It would be nice if a local group refurbished this watering hole as it is truly a part of our history. The road became a road when for world war two, radar stations were constructed on Dunnet Head which required good access, it was then the B855 was born.

We then have another Photo of Berriedale Braes and the dangerous hairpin bend, which requires HGV1 drivers to become stressed at the thought of oncoming traffic crashing into them. Its one of those "You either go on the other side of the road or call a policemen to stop the traffic " as such it is always an accident waiting to happen. Then we have an unnumbered road, long and straight, leading to Ham Harbour and eventually to Dunnet Head, Scotland’s most northern Point. This road actually meets the coast at an old mill and trading port of centuries ago, in the days of sailing ships. This port or inlet was the home of those who 2000 years ago, lived in earth houses, one such remains there today, unvisited, unkempt, unwanted, some 50 yards from the port, yes you can see it if you ask around, or you can ask me where it is if you wish.

To finish we have a leafy lane in England near the Welsh borders, where old styles still have a great value.

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An early Transport Cafe.






Yer proper Watering Hole serving transport and traveller.


Berriedale Braes hairpin bend on a steep hill. Just what every HGV driver wants,
to be required to drive on the wrong side of the road around a blind bend.




Old road to an old port and mill at Ham Harbour, then Dunnet Head.



Dunnet Head Light House.



Sheriffhales Village road, un-numbered.