Area Guides

History

The parish’s village of Pittentrail hosts the only Railway station between Lairg and Golspie, dating back to 1868, and still in use. At the village centre is the Rogart Mart, which opened in 1963, seeing up to 12,000 lambs sold a day in it’s heyday, before closing its doors as a working sale ring in 2001. However, it has recently been re-opened to the public as a newly refurbished event venue and community space, by HRH King Charles back in 2022. Currently the Mart hosts musical events and quarterly markets which sell an extensive selection of local goods and produce.

Rogart has a strong affiliation with Canada, as evidenced by the cairn situated at Dalmore, which is dedicated to Sir John A MacDonald, the first Prime Minister of Canada, whose grandparents lived on the site of the monument.

Wildlife

Rogart boasts a wide array of flora and fauna over its sweeping hills, including the Ospreys and infamous Rogart Goats, both of which reside on Morvich Rock, which visitors may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of when approaching Rogart from the East. According to an old local legend, the goats act as a warning sign for the locals, and if they die out, the sea will break through the Mound causeway and flood the Strath!

Unlike most crofting parishes affected by the Highland Clearances, Rogart is still home to many traditional working crofts which have been passed through families for hundreds of years, primarily farming North Country Cheviot sheep, due to the slopes and hills making up the parish.

Activities

Rogart’s rugged and hilly landscape makes it the perfect location for any adventure seeker. The area hosts a number of mapped walks, including the Round Rogart Path. This route not only showcases the village itself, allowing walkers to view it from various different aspects, but also includes many of the key locations which have been involved in the formation of Rogart’s rich history and heritage.

The Farlary Footpaths also give walkers the opportunity to appreciate all the varying landscapes that Rogart has offer. These walks pass through not only densely wooded land, but also loch-side routes and open hill, offering a panoramic view of the top of Rogart.

If off-road walking isn’t your cup of tea, then the extensive network of single track roads here is quiet enough for exploring the parish on foot or by bicycle, whether you’re interested in wildlife, scenery or observing the traditional crofting way of life! You may be lucky enough to stumble on a local crofter working their sheep with a trusted collie, or even cutting peats by hand in the hill, to keep their hearths warm in winter.

Amenities

Rogart also has a small grocery shop, Post Office, garage with petrol pumps and a Veterinary Surgery.