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The red kite (Milvus milvus) is a common "tourist eagle" - mis-identified because of its raptor profile. The giveaways are the wafting flight pattern, the deeply forked tail and the pale patch beneath the wings. They're fed daily at this RSPB reserve, reached up a muddy track.
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Recalls the remarkable life of "Fighting Mac" (1853-1903). He was born on a croft near Dingwall, joined the army, and by his skill and bravery rose all the way from humble private to major general. He fought in the First Boer War, the Second Afghan War and the Sudan Campaign. A hero by 1902, he was appointed commander-in-chief of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and had time on his hands. There had long been rumours of his fondness for boys, which now grew to scandal-pitch. He got out of the way to London but was in Paris when the story broke in the press, and he shot himself. He's buried in Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh. A government enquiry announced in unctuous terms that there was not a shred of evidence against him, and shredded all the case files to keep it that way.
Local artefacts and exhibitions. It's housed in the former Town Hall, built in 1745, with the octagonal cupola tower added in 1773 and the stepped gables in 1903. On 4 Jan 1963 a hopeful young rock band performed here, but only 19 came to listen, as there was a better act in Strathpeffer that night. The hopefuls were called The Beatles.
The Roman Catholic church, built in 1902, with elegant stained glass windows. It's next to the "doocot" (below) on the site of Dingwall Castle.
Built in the 11th century, staged a murder worthy of Macbeth in 1438, and was restored in the 16th when the bishop prettified one of the towers into a "doocot". The castle was abandoned in 1600 and the site was levelled in 1818, except for the doocot, which stands 200 yards north of the railway station.