ND3240 : Whaligoe steps There are 330 flagstone steps that the fishermen's wives had to negotiate with the nets and the herring catch. Towards the bottom right of the picture are the remains of a winch that would have been used to haul the boats onto the beach for safety during storms. Highland visitors like Pennant (1769) and Lauder (1841) wrote of the place with awe, whilst Telford described it as 'a dreadful place'. For the residents I suppose it was a case of 'needs must'.