INTRODUCTION

The

Hill

of

Nigg

is

an

elongated

and

iconic

backdrop

to

a

gentle

low-lying

agricultural

landscape,

virtually

unchanged

for

thousands

of

years.

The

southern

slopes

join

the

North

Sutor,

one

of

the

North

East

of

Scotland's

best-known

landmarks

and

the

gateway

to

the

Cromarty

Firth.

Nigg Oil Terminal and Global's Nigg Energy Park are situated at sea level at the south- west end of Nigg across the water from Cromarty. 

Shandwick

on

the

North

East

side

of

the

Parish

is

one

of

the

old

fishing

communities

with

views

across

the

Moray

Firth

and

the

cliffs

of

the

Hill

of Nigg.  

Two

Pictish

cross-slabs

are

on

public

display

at

Nigg

Old

Church

and

on

the

road

above

Shandwick.

The

two

cross-slabs

were

commissioned

in

the second half of the 8th century by the secular and ecclesiastical authorities.