Strathpeffer and Dingwall

[quagga64]

Weather wasnt too good today so I had decided to have a day off hillwalking and do a wee bit of sightseeing instead. Set off from the cottage about 10 and drove some 30 miles Eastwards up Glen Docherty and along the A835 through Strath Bran to Rogie Falls where I got out and had a walk down to the waterfalls and across the suspension bridge and had a wee walk up and down the opposite bank, some people obviously saw salmon leaping up the falls as indicated by their excited squeals but I didnt manage to see any, after about 45 minutes I drove another 8 miles Eastwards to arrive at Strathpeffer. Had a look round a couple of shops and visited the old pump room which is a museum telling the story of how Strathpeffer was famous in Victorian tomes due to the supposed healing qualities of its spring waters, then went down to the old railway station cafe and had soup and crusty bread as recommended by Donna and Mum, I had sweet potato and coconut. from here I walked to the outskirts of the town and paid a visit to The Eagle Rock which is an old Pictish symbol stone with an eagle and horseshoe design carved on it, then I walked South out of the town and along a farm track leading to Blackmuir Wood where I saw The Touchstone Maze, a modern construction based on ancient structures consisting of large boulders arranged in a circular maze pattern. From here I continued Northeast up to Knock Farril which is the site of an Iron Age Hillfort on a high point of land at the end of a long ridge known as The Cats Back, there were descent views of Ben Wyvis to the North and Eastwards to the Cromarty Firth despite the overcast drizzly weather. From here I walked SouthWest along the entire length of The Cats Back ridge to the trig point of Cnoc Mor which is a sub 2,000 hill and although it is the highest point on the ridge the views are severely restricted by the conifer plantations which cover the whole hill. From here I descended steeply through the forestry till I reached a track which eventually led back down into Strathpeffer. Got back to the car and drove a further 8 miles East to reach Dingwall where I visited the museum and had a walk down its depressing high street, got a few wee prezzies for Ellie,s Xmas and then drove up the steep hill to visit the large tower constructed in memory of Sir Hector McDonald a famous soldier who was born locally, the tower sits in a cemetery on a high hill to the South side of the town, from here I went to see Victoria Park home of Ross County Football Club and then I got a cooked chicken from the supermarket and ate it in the car before driving back the 38 miles to the cottage at Kinlochewe, I arrived before Mum and Donna got back, they had gone to Inverness by train from Auchnasheen and apparently it was tortuously slow.