On the hill above Alness on the North shore of the Cromarty firth, a row of apparently ancient towers and arches frames and incredible view out over the water. But what are they doing there, who built them, and why? The answers take Matt on an unexpected wikipedia tour of India and British colonial history, the Scottish aristocracy, and even, possibly due to some mis-clicks, the American war of independence.

It’s incredible what you come across when out for a walk in the Far North. Patrick Baker knows that more than most. He’s the author of two books about discovering the unexpectedly interesting stories behind the places he has explored in Scotland: The Cairngorms, a Secret History and The Unremembered Places.

He talks to us about the joy in finding out more about the things you stumble across, the importance of following your curiosity, and gives us a shortcut to some of the things he’s discovered while exploring in the Far North.