Site of forbidden gathering encountered on Dingwall Field Club’s Easter Ross wander
A ROSS-SHIRE field club encountered some fascinating local history on its latest outing.
Dingwall Field Club members met at Alness car park by the impressive railway bridge which crosses the River Averon. Designed by Joseph Mitchell and finished in 1836, it is slightly skewed and has two main arches and three smaller ones.
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The path along the river goes under one of these and the first part of the trail passes a play area before coming close to the water below very steep banks. At a junction is an impressive weir. A pile of dead tree trunks stuck above the salmon ladder showed how high the river had been during the recent storms. There is also a sluice gate here controlling water going to Dalmore distillery.
A narrow path continues along the river and takes one under the A9. All this area was a large camp during WW2 and nature is beginning to grass over signs of the many huts.The straight track is still in good condition, passing gun implacements and remains of well built brick buildings. Passing a wooded area with some very mature larch trees the group came to a junction leading to the Yankee Pier. On this occasion the tide was too far out to spot any sea birds other than gulls, crows and geese.
This pier was built between 1917 and 1919 when Dalmore Distillery was used as a store for mines. The pier juts far out into the Cromarty Firth and allowed trucks to unload mines from American ships, hence the “Yankee” name used by locals.
The single track now has whins on either side, good for nesting birds where, for instance, linnets have been spotted. On a breezy day these bushes gave welcome shelter to the group and several dog walkers. The walk then continued along the shore towards Dalmore Distillery past huge black bonded warehouses then uphill passing an old icehouse to reach a large upright red granite stone marking the site of a forbidden communion service in Covenanting times.
The final stretch followed the avenue through the extensive estate. Dalmore House was occupied by officers during WW2 but the members did not pass it, instead taking a downward path back to the river.
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