I may just have missed the in-game explanation, though I don't think so because I'm the type who actually pays attention to storylines and doesn't just hack and slash my way to the end of the game without listening to people talk. Basically I'm wondering what the heck Ulfric was doing down by Darkwater Crossing before getting captured and taken to Helgen. Did this happen on his way back from killing High King Torygg? Was he just on a tour of Eastmarch? Did he need to stretch his legs or something?

What was he doing?

Again, I may have missed the explanation, but either way I need an answer if anyone's got one.

Thanks a bunch!

Ralof explains how he was with ulfric and other Stormcloak soldiers when they got ambushed by the Imperials as if they were expecting them. He then goes on to say how they headed south and he thought they were taking them to Cyrodiil to parade Ulfric in the imperial city, but they went to Helgen instead to execute him without trial.

I know that much. What I'm asking is what was Ulfric and his guard doing down there? Why were they down by Darkwater Crossing? What was their purpose in being there? It's fairly far away from Windhelm and not exactly located in a direct path from Windhelm to anywhere specifically important.

he actually knew the imperials would ambush him if was stupid enough to go down there, but he knew that a video game protaganist was crossing the border and they never die, so he knew he was safe. he knew the imperials would be dikes and try to execute the protagonist as well, subtly nudging them to join his stormcloaks, thereby all but cementing his eventual victory.