Dingwall Castle Folly

The crumbling stone tower that rises above Dingwall town centre is less castle, more Victorian-era folly - and that's precisely what makes it worth a wander. Built in the 1830s as a romantic ruin (yes, they literally constructed a fake ruin on purpose), it's a daft piece of Highland heritage that somehow works. You get decent views across the town and surrounding countryside from the base, though the tower itself isn't climbable these days. Historians and heritage buffs will find it charming in a slightly bonkers sort of way. Families with young children might spend twenty minutes here before moving on, but if you're the type who enjoys oddball Victorian folly projects, you'll appreciate the sheer eccentricity of the thing. It's free to access and takes no more than half an hour to properly explore. Dingwall itself is a working market town, so you can grab a proper lunch while you're in the area. If you're staying at Highland Heights Luxury Glamping just down the road - a cracking spot with genuine five-star reviews - this makes an easy afternoon detour before or after heading out on the surrounding Highland walks. Don't expect a major historical monument. Expect instead a peculiar Victorian whim that tells you something about how the wealthy spent their money back then.