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Like others on here I've a backlog of walks to write up and probably wouldn't have bothered with this one except there are no other reports on it. It's a good circuit round the town of Dingwall, with plenty of historical interest and a variety of scenery along the way.
The starting point is the large car park just south of the High Street from where it's a short stroll to the museum and clock-towered town hall.
Centre of Dingwall from Green Hill
From the car park turn right on to the High Street and continue past the museum then turn left on to Tulloch Street and keep going until a path goes off to the right alongside a canal. The path is signed for the Ferry picnic site.
Path along canal
The canal was built by Thomas Telford in 1817 who had designs for Dingwall as a working port with a large harbour on the Cromarty Firth. His advice not to allow the River Peffery to flow into the canal was ignored meaning it regularly became silted up and had to be abandoned in 1840. Needless to say Telford's plans for Dingwall's harbour were never realised.
Where canal meets firth at the Ferry picnic site
Looking back to houses of Dingwall
Labs doing what labs do - checking out the water
With the tidal mudflats this is a good feeding area for wading birds and greylag geese are often seen in the surrounding fields.
Zoomed to Fyrish (Moira's pic)
Sculpture that mirrors the Fyrish monument
Heading west along the estuary
Looking back east
Path heading west
This was a path I regularly walked with my father and the dogs while my mother attended Dingwall Hospital for hydrotherapy at the Puffin Pool. It feels a lifetime ago but it's only 7 years.
Across the fields to Macdonald Monument on left and snow covered Ben Wyvis
Muddy path but a lovely day
Footbridge
Keep left at the footbridge following the Round Dingwall walk sign and eventually the path passes an old bothy.
Dogs separated from Moira to give her peace to have her lunch
After the bothy the route heads inland on a track that crosses the railway line by a level crossing and goes under the main road via a tunnel before bearing right to reach a minor road to Pitglassie. You follow this towards the farm then turn right up a private road just before the barn and head uphill. As height is gained there are good views of Dingwall and the Cromarty Firth.
As the ground levels off the Macdonald Monument comes into view again. The route passes through a gate and turns right down a minor road which leads to the cemetery where the monument was erected.
Macdonald Monument
Ben Wyvis
Hector Macdonald was a crofter's son from Dingwall who distinguished himself in military service, reaching the highest rank and receiving the Victoria Cross for outstanding bravery. It seems that due to his humble beginnings he didn't fit easily into the circles he moved in and was resented by other military big wigs, Lord Kitchener included. Whatever the truth of that during his time in India he was accused of sexual misconduct involving teenage boys, which he denied. But the tide of opinion was mounting against him and he shot himself, which was taken as proof of his guilt.
But many didn't believe it and his native Scots insisted he be brought back to Scotland for burial and the following year the men of Dingwall starting building this monument in his honour. Whether guilty or innocent it's a sad story of glory and honour being plunged into shame and dishonour and must have been hard to bear for his widow and son back home in Dingwall.
We'll never know for sure but it's possible a great injustice was done. Here's a quote from Lenathehyena's Blog after spending some time researching the story.
"There is spite, jealousy, vindictiveness and secrecy at every turn of this case. I began looking into it following a visit to Dingwall museum which features Macdonald’s story. I started with a bland acceptance of his ‘guilt’ but now I am certain what happened to him had nothing at all to do with any alleged sexual activity.
The hero and survivor of so many battles to preserve the British Empire finally came up against an enemy he could not defeat – the British Establishment which closed ranks against this upstart Scot from the croft and dispatched him for good."
From the cemetery we returned to the road and followed it down to the A862 which has to be crossed to reach the car park where the walk started. After collecting the car we drove the short distance to the tea room at Dingwall station - which if you have time is well worth a visit!
