Dingwall

Dingwall is a town in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands, with a population in 2020 of 5360. Its name derives from the Scandinavian Þingvöllr, a meeting-place, and it was once astride several transport routes. As it was at the head of Cromarty Firth it had a harbour, roads out of the northwest Highlands converged here, and the Edinburgh - Inverness - John o'Groats A9 crossed the rivers above the Firth. But the harbour silted up in the 18th century; a canal was cut to town but wasn't a commercial success. The main roads bypassed it in the 20th century, and the county of which it was county town was reformed out of existence. So "the meeting place" is something of a backwater, but has preserved its 19th-century centre.

By road
Take the A9 from Inverness over Kessock Bridge (toll-free) to Tore, then A835 heading for Ullapool. If you're following the North Coast 500 itinerary, this is where you need to decide which way round you're going: it's usually followed clockwise but either is fine.

By bus
Stagecoach Highlands buses 27 / 25A run from Inverness, taking 35 min by that direct route; some start from Culloden. They're hourly M-Sa, every two hours on Sunday, and continue to Strathpeffer and Contin.

Bus 28 (hourly M-Sa) is a slower route, taking 80 min via Beauly (for Priory) and Muir of Ord (for Singleton Distillery).

By train
Dingwall has trains M-Sa every hour or so from Inverness, taking 35 mins via Beauly, Muir of Ord and Conon Bridge. Four of these continue north via Tain, Golspie (for Dunrobin Castle), Helmsdale, Thurso (for ferries to Orkney) and Wick. Four other trains branch west via Achnasheen and Plockton to Kyle of Lochalsh, for buses to Skye. On Sunday the trains from Inverness are every 2-3 hours, mostly terminating at Tain.



Get around
You need your own wheels to reach the Red Kites Reserve.

Do

 * What's on? Read Ross-shire Journal or Press & Journal.
 * Walk Britain's shortest canal, the one-mile stretch of the disused Dingwall canal. It passes a firing range so don't walk there if red flags are flying.
 * Football: Ross County FC play soccer in the Premiership, Scotland's top tier. Their home ground is Victoria Park (capacity 6500) just east of the railway station.
 * Shinty: Beauly play in Mowi National Division, the second tier, with their home ground at Braeview Park in Beauly. Lovat play in the Premiership, the top tier, further south at Kiltarlity. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Dingwall Leisure Centre has a gym, pool and fitness classes. It's north on Tulloch Ave, open M-F 7AM-9PM, Sa Su 8AM-6PM.
 * Golf: Muir of Ord GC is 5 miles south. White tees 5542 yards, par 68, visitor round M-F £18, Su £25, no Saturday visits. The 13th green is a "henge", some sort of prehistoric structure: maybe ritual or a fortified dwelling place, as it wouldn't serve as a fort. It's not known if it was early medieval or very much older, and the site was disrupted by the golf course extension in the 1980s. All that archaeologists can agree on is that it makes Hole 13 "Castle Hill" (short par 3, 111 yards) a tricky approach.
 * Black Isle Show is an agricultural fair, with the occasional piper but not the mass tartanry of Highland Games. It's held at the showground at Muir of Ord, with the next on Th 1 Aug 2024.
 * Tartan Heart is a family-friendly festival on Belladrum Estate south of Beauly, with the next on 25-27 July 2024.
 * Tartan Heart is a family-friendly festival on Belladrum Estate south of Beauly, with the next on 25-27 July 2024.

Buy

 * Tesco is the main store, north side on Mart Rd. It's open M-Sa 6AM-midnight, Su 8AM-10PM and has a 24-hour filling station.
 * Lidl, east off Tulloch St, is smaller, and open daily 8AM-9PM.

Eat

 * Others in town centre are Ding's Chinese (closed Mon), Pronto Pizza, Renato's fish & chips (closed Monday), County Kebab, Cafe India and Chili Masala.
 * Others in town centre are Ding's Chinese (closed Mon), Pronto Pizza, Renato's fish & chips (closed Monday), County Kebab, Cafe India and Chili Masala.
 * Others in town centre are Ding's Chinese (closed Mon), Pronto Pizza, Renato's fish & chips (closed Monday), County Kebab, Cafe India and Chili Masala.
 * Others in town centre are Ding's Chinese (closed Mon), Pronto Pizza, Renato's fish & chips (closed Monday), County Kebab, Cafe India and Chili Masala.

Drink

 * The Caledonian is a cheerful bar on High St.
 * Glen Wyvis make gin and whisky half a mile north of Tulloch Castle. No tours.
 * Glen Wyvis make gin and whisky half a mile north of Tulloch Castle. No tours.

Sleep

 * Waverley Inn is opposite National Hotel. So too is Royal Hotel, which gets rotten reviews.
 * Waverley Inn is opposite National Hotel. So too is Royal Hotel, which gets rotten reviews.
 * Waverley Inn is opposite National Hotel. So too is Royal Hotel, which gets rotten reviews.

Connect
As of July 2022, Dingwall and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers, though the signal from Vodafone is patchy. 5G is available along the A9 but doesn't yet reach town.

Go next

 * Strathpeffer is a Victorian spa town five miles west.
 * Fortrose and Rosemarkie are twin towns on the east tip of Black Isle. Watch the dolphins from Chanonry Point.
 * Inverness is a pleasant 19th-century city and the region's transport hub.
 * North Coast 500 is a motoring itinerary looping from Inverness, so Dingwall could be your first or last stop.