In 2007, the Highland year of Culture, a local artist Steve Hayward, from Hilton, sculpted the bronzed wood mermaid statue. The Mermaid of the North sits on a rock- named “Clach Dubh” (black rock in Gaelic) - in the Seaboard Village of Balintore. Sadly, in 2012 the mermaid was damaged by a severe storm. Originally made from wood and resin, she was not strong enough to withstand the stormy weather. In 2014 The Mermaid was replaced with the bronze cast model you can see today. source: easterrosspe