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Situated on the Cromarty Firth(6 miles east of Strathpeffer
on A834), the ancient Norse burgh of Dingwall is a complete contrast
to Strathpeffer. A down-to-earth farm market town not particularly
aware of tourist, Dingwall has a furniture factory, a foam rubber
factory, "champion haggis maker" (haggis is a traditional
pudding made of sheep's stomach), and a railway junction. Rape,
a tall yellow crop used in the making of margarine, is grown
in surrounding fields and shipped from here. Here, it is said, Macbeth was born; and here commences
the Dingwall-Kyle of Lochalsh train trip which was featured in
the BBC-TV series "Great Railway Journeys of the World."
Inside the Town House (or Town Hall) on High Street is a local
history museum (open May through September), including memorabilia
of Dingwall's own "Fighting Mac," General Sir Hector
Macdonald (1853-1903). Mac rose from the ranks by distinguishing
himself in the fighting in 1898 at Omdurman (East Africa) avenging
General Gordon at Khartoum 13 years before. An impressive memorial
to this gritty soldier sits on Mitchell Hill. A key to the Tower
is available from the reception desk, Council Offices, High Street,
Dingwall. Another monument to his memory stands at Mulbuie. The parish church is distinguished by an obelisk in its
parking lot, a small replica of a 50-foot-high original, marking
the would-be burial place of George Mackenzie, first Earl of
Cromarty (1630-1714). He arranged instead to be buried "3
ft. 6 in. to the south thereof," in unmarked ground, in
order to foil his wife, who had announced her intention of dancing
on his grave.
Dingwall has tennis courts and boating park at Pefferside Park; these facilities are administered by the Sports Centre. The Highland Traditional Music Festival convenes in Dingwall the third week in June; Dingwall Highland Games are held in early to mid-July; and the Highland Whippet Derby invigorates the town around July's end.
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