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We decided to include Ferry Point in the circuit so after parking in the free car park we headed along the High Street and instead of turning left along Tulloch Street, continued past the hospital and out to the point where the River Peffer flows into the Cromarty Firth.
Sculpture at Ferry Point
Mouth of Peffer and snow-covered Wyvis
Footbridge now out of bounds
Railway bridge ahead
When we reached the A862 we turned right and followed it past some fine houses until we reached a path on the left signed for Craig Woods.
Path through the woods
The path rises at a gentle gradient with views through the trees to the firth below.
Followed sign for Tulloch Castle
Cromarty Firth
Ferry Point
Farm buildings
Attractive square steading
Tulloch Castle was built in the 1540s and became the traditional home of Clan Davidson in the 1760s. It was used as a hospital after the evacuation from Dunkirk, was more recently a boarding hostel for Dingwall Academy and is now run as a hotel.
Tulloch Castle
Moira reliably informs me the turret is haunted by a lady dressed in green, but I've no way of verifying that which I'm all that keen to take!
We continued along through the avenue of trees and rather than turning left down to Maggie's Drive kept going until we reached Docharty Road where we turned left.
From Docharty Road we had a clear view west towards Knockfarrel.
Knockfarrel
We followed the road downhill to the junction with the Strathpeffer Road from where we headed back into the centre of Dingwall just in time to mingle with the school kids out on their lunch break. We decided it was worth going a little further to the station to visit Tina's Tearoom to sample the home bakes there.
All in all a pleasant amble round an old market town, taking in a variety of terrain and scenery.
