At the end of the road across the Black Isle, not very far north of Inverness, at the mouth of the firth, sits the town of Cromarty. It’s a small community with a big tourist draw, overlooking the natural beauty of mountains and water. It also sits at an interesting point of crossover between the city, only forty minutes drive away, agriculture on the Black Isle and beyond, and heavy industry hosted in the firth and in the energy park across the water from the town. From the beaches in Cromarty, you can see dolphins, oil rigs, and wind turbines under construction.

It’s a heady mix, and has drawn tourists, new residents, artists, and writers.

We dig into the history and present of Cromarty. What is the context of this place, and what is it like to live there now? As Matt prepared to find out first hand, we spoke to Ingrid Rochford, who has lived there for much of her life, and now runs Ingrid’s House, a Scandinavian design shop in the centre of the town.

She has just launched her Christmas range, which is worth a look online no matter where you are at www.ingridshouse.co.uk