When you've spent the week living with rain, you head to where its dry on your day off!
That's what we did on our day off a few weeks ago anyway. We had a conference in Dingwall on a Saturday morning, so we decided to make a day of it and spend some time exploring the Black Isle and Dingwall.
After finishing our conference at one, we decided we needed a wee pick-me-up. So we left Dingwall and headed over the Cromarty Bridge to Cromarty. We had heard about Slaughter House Coffee for a while and we were very excited to see it in person.
I enjoyed a chai latte, which was delicious. I've gone a bit off coffee recently so I have ended up drinking quite a lot of chai and judging places by it. I'd say it was a pretty great chai, lovely and warming and the spices were well balanced. I also had a chocolate and cherry oat bar, which combined some of my favourite ingredients, which I loved.
After our coffee, we enjoyed a leisurely drive around the Black Isle, through the villages along the coastline. Places like Fortrose and Rosemarkie are lovely spots for a explore, looking at the interesting shops and pretty houses.
For late lunch, we headed back to Dingwall and enjoyed some Thai food at Miss Ying's. For years, we've been hearing all about how good this place is. The last place you'd expect to find decent Thai food is a little town in the Scottish Highlands! We enjoyed some a prawn red curry and dragon duck, which were really delicious. The restaurant certainly lived up to the hype. The one advisory I would say about the food is that it was pretty spicy (even for someone like me who enjoys spicy food). However, we did enjoy a mango lassi alongside our food which helped to tone down the spice levels.
So why do I think Easter Ross is such a hidden gem? Because it is so different from the rest of the Highlands.
Unlike much of the Scottish Highlands, which feature rugged, mountainous landscapes, the Black Isle is dominated by mainly farmland and coastal villages. Each little village has its own unique feel and character, making each village a really lovely place to have a wander in. I think it probably helps that every time I've visited the Black Isle, it's been dry, which definitely makes a big difference to the appeal of a place.
I'm hoping to explore more of Easter Ross in the future. It's a part of the Highlands I'd never really thought about before, but a place I'm growing really fond of it, as I spend more and more time there.
If you have any recommendations of places I should visit in Easter Ross in the future, please do us know.
Comments