Accommodations Nova Scotia
Your Guide To Accommodations In Nova Scotia
Dingwall, Nova Scotia
Dingwall is a coastal community of approximately 600 residents in
Victoria County. It is situated just off the Cabot Trail, 84.68
kilometers northeast of county seat Baddeck.
Old Norse in origin, the name "Dingwall" comes from Ting
(parliament) and Voir. Dingwall was originally known as "Young's
Cove" until 1883. Among the first settlers and grantees for land was
Walter Young in 1827. Later, in the late 1870's, a Mr. Robert
Dingwall who owned the general store in town, made an application
for a post office, and suggested to the government that the town be
re-named Dingwall. By provincial statute, chapter 55 in 1883, the
name of Young's Cove was thus changed to Dingwall.
Located on northern Cape Breton Island, Dingwall has traditionally
been a fishing community, which remains the town's primary industry,
along with tourism. Dingwall is home to a resort called the Markland
Coastal Resort, which is a popular tourist destination during the
summer months.
Dingwall was once a somewhat booming industrial town in the 1940s
and 50's when it was home to a gypsum quarry, the remnants of which
are still quite prominent within the town. Once the gypsum boom had
run its course, many residents moved elsewhere to find employment,
but Dingwall survived almost exclusively as a fishing community from
that time until the present day. One of the town's primary landmarks
for decades were the large Irving Oil storage tanks situated on the
harbour, which have since been disassembled and removed by the
company.
The town was home to Dingwall Elementary School which closed in 2000
when a new school, North Highlands, was constructed in the
neighbouring community of Sugarloaf, housing the former students of
both Dingwall Elementary and Highland Consolidated.
Dingwall is blessed with picturesque natural beauty. Located just
north of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, it possesses lush
forest areas and is framed by mountains to the north and south, and
the Atlantic Ocean to the east. In addition to the approximately 600
permanent residents, many seasonal residents come to Dingwall from
the U.S. and Europe during the summer and leave during the winter.
