Poignant moments at Inver in Easter Ross as Dingwall Field Club ventures out
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THERE was a good turnout of 16 members and three guests for Dingwall Field Club’s latest Saturday outing to the historic fishing village of Inver, near Tain.
The nicely arranged car park at the edge of the village has a large outside seating area and an interpretation panel outlining the history of the village. A plaque commemorates
the contribution made by the inhabitants of Inver and the villages of Tarbat and Fearn to the
resolution of the Second World War in being evacuated from their homes and land for five months
between December 1943 and May 1944 to allow concentrated training of the 3rd Infantry troops and the Naval Force “S” in preparation for the Allies Invasion of Normandy.
The group walked along an easily accessible path leading to the Morrich Mor SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest ) dunes and beach.
This SSSI has been described as “one of the most outstanding coastal sites of Britain, especially noteworthy for the development of an extensive low-level sandy plain on which a set of parabolic dunes are superimposed”.
Read more from Dingwall Field Club's regular outings
Even on an overcast day, the description is apt – with the tide out there was a magnificent clear view over the dunes and sand flats towards the rugged coastline of the North Dornoch Firth. Princess Anne was once spotted as a young woman enjoying a dip alongside the Royal Yacht Britannia in the seclusion of Inver Bay.
The group was especially privileged to see clumps of pretty mauve Echium Vulgare aka Viper’s Bugloss, a biennial wildflower, amongst the dunes and to spot the carapace of a blue crab on the shore where there were also razor clam and whelk shells found.
Close to these flowers, a cairn memorial facing the shore marks the spot where half of Inver’s population who had sadly died following the the outbreak of cholera in 1832.
By now beyond the headland, the village of Portmahomack had come into view glimmering in intermittent shafts of sunlight and as it was time for lunch. A sheltered spot in the dunes was found for a picnic, followed by a pleasant stroll back through the village and return to the car park.
The next walk is on Saturday, September 2 at Drumderfit Hill – a woodland circular walk of between two and three miles with views of Munlochy Bay and an option to go up to the hill fort.
Contact 01381 620643 for more information.
The club AGM will be on Thursday, September 21 at 10.30am in St Clement’s Church Hall, Dingwall followed by a talk about the Bluebird Rescue Centre, Brora.
New members and guests are always welcome.
For general info go to www.spanglefish.com/dingwallfieldclub
JD
