Last year we knew about the Fyrish Monument and promised ourselves this year we would hike to the top.

We took Maude with us and she was a trooper. She never complains, just lunges toward other dogs sometimes which we put an immediate stop to. What a glorious view!

Fyrish Monument was constructed in order to employ a good number of workers during a particularly hard famine in Scotland; the project happened so people could produce something while receiving food aid.

The monument is reached about half a kilometre further on. Close up it is even more impressive than when seen from below – a huge structure of three central arches and four flanking towers. It was built in 1783 by Sir Hector Munro – the local laird. He had been commander of British Forces in India, and defeated the Dutch at the Battle of Negapatam. On his return to the Highlands the Clearances were underway and many people were starving. After the fashion of the time famine relief was provided only in return for work – it being feared that feeding the starving would make them lazy – and the construction of the monument was one of the tasks given to the local destitute. It is a replica of the gates of Negapatam, to enhance Munro’s glory. – courtesy of Walking the Highlands article

Here’s Fyrish, that little dot at the top of the peak in the middle:

On the way up there’s a little pond you can stop to admire. It’s reflection is pretty awesome and doubles the sky on a sunny day:

Once you reach the south-facing part of the walk, above the forest, you get treated to a view of the entire Cromarty Firth:

Then you get to the top and the wind howls here, but it doesn’t really matter because it’s such a sweet reward for the 2km walk up the mountain:

Look to your left and you see Cromarty and the entrance to the firth, as well as the oil rigs that are positioned there.

This is us walking down again from Fyrish Monument. What a perfect Scottish day: