Peat in Gaelic. The jagged cliffs of its headland extended to the Atlantic, before travel as weknow today to traverse the ground of the Moine, even in the driest weather, could be exceeding wearisome; in winter it became hazardous when the snow driven by strong winds, filled its black gullies and altered its contours entirely.

 

Dr Ian Grimble writes in his book The World of Rob Donn

“The Reverend Murdo Macdonald scarcely ever failed to grumble into his diary about the discomforts of the Moine, when he was forced to cross it to attend presbytery meetings in Tongue, and there were occasions when he preferred the no less treacherous ocean.

 

One of these occurred in April 1737 when he planned to visit Thurso in order to attend the funeral of the Reverend William Innes, taking with him his wife, who was pregnant, and their children of eight and six years. The party set off from Balnakil for the little creek of Smoo about a mile from the manse. Here yawns the entrance to the cave that Sir Walter Scott was to make famous when he visited it, beyond a shingle beach on which boats could be hauled to safety. "The day was gloomy and foggy, as indeed it was to me in several respects and there was a gentle north-east breeze which made the heaving sea very unfavourable to our purpose, so that when we came to the place my wife durst not try it, but choosed to continue on horseback till she came to Rispond where she stayed the night." Here, after a day's travel, they had not yet crossed Loch Eriboll to reach the barony of West Moine.

 

"The bairnies went by sea from Smoo to Rispond and got the first handsell of seasickness. Next day being Thursday, there was a pretty brisk gale of south-easterly wind which was almost ahead of us, but the crew thinking to make it by rowing and coasting close by shore, which they expected would shelter them, they set out with us towards the White Head as they call it. But as we were advanced half-way to turn the Head, the wind increased to such a height and contrariety to us that by the unanimous voice of the crew it was best to turn back, which we accordingly did, and in the afternoon came on shore at Badilhavish in West Moine: where I intended to stay, it being one of the preaching places of my parish." They had failed to pass the Moine after two days' travel, and were forced to remain where they were for another two days.

 

"On the Thursday we were in our boat off the Head, we observed just coming after us into Loch Eriboll two ships which were directed from their easterly course by the same cross-wind. This might alleviate our part of the calamity when great vessels must yield to the weather, nay, when God with east wind breaks the strong ships of Tarshish. It came in my head that we might in that case have the convenience of a passage in them just come to our hand. When therefore they came to anchor I went in the evening against a boisterous gale to see, but found none of them was bound for the south further than Peterhead. Thus God's ways are not ours, nor his thoughts ours always." Macdonald's own thoughts are obscure enough, since these ships could easily have carried his family to Thurso on their way to Peterhead, unless they intended to sail round the Orkney islands rather than face the dangers of the Pentland Firth. What is noteworthy is that despite his wife's fear of the sea, he made no attempt to transport her over the Moine but waited instead for a boat to make the journey.”