Day 52: Drumnadrochit to Fortrose, Highland

Virtual Walk: Scotland 2021

25th February 2021: 94.90km walked today taking the total to 5416.50/8868km. 12.5% of 97 entries submitting 759.21km.

Today we finish walking the Great Glen Way before visiting Inverness and Beauly. We then start to explore the Black Isle so there is a lot to see today.

Route 16: Fort William to Inverness

Route 17: Inverness to Scrabster NC500+ Part 1

The name Drumnadrochit comes from the Gaelic, druim na drochaid, meaning the 'Ridge of the Bridge', as the village grew up around a bridge over the River Enrick. There is a further short walk that you can do in the Urquhart Bay woods, which lie between the River Enrick and the Rover Coiltie. This area is often flooded and is called a ‘wet woodland’ as it is where trees that can grow in flooded areas thrive, such as alders.

There are 2 major attractions in Drumnadrochit associated with the Loch Ness Monster, Nessie: the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition and Nessieland. Both explore the legend of the Loch Ness Monster.

The first recorded sighting of the Loch Ness Monster was in 565 AD when it is supposed to have snatched up and eaten a servant before being forced back into the water by St Columba. The modern legend of Nessie started in 1933 when it was reported that the Loch Ness Monster had been sighted. This coincided with the start of the construction of the A82 and it was thought that the monster had been forced from the depths due to the disruption and noise. After the April 1933 sighting, interest steadily grew, with a famous photo of the monster then being taken in 1934. Since then, there has been an almost constant vigil. In the 1960s, sonar expeditions were launched and, in 1975, an expedition combined sonar with underwater photography and a photo was taken, which appears to show a giant flipper. Is the monster real or is it a log, a hoax, trick of the light? Nobody knows for sure - even if it isn’t real though, there is something special about Loch Ness.

Leaving Drumnadrochit, the Great Glen Way goes along the A82 past Drumnadrochit Harbour, where cruises leave to discover Loch Ness before we reach Temple Pier. This is where John Cobb, in the speedboat, Crusader, attempted to set a new speed record in 1952. He did become the first person to travel over water at over 200 miles an hour, but tragically died in the attempt, so it was never recorded in the record books because there was no second run.

Just past the pier we turn left to follow the Great Glen Way uphill through woodland and through lots of gates. The pines, in places, have been cleared to try and help the biodiversity.

Soon we come across the remains of a Canadian lumberjack’s camp from World War 2, where volunteers came to help provide timber for the war.

After crossing moorland, passing Corryfoyness, we reach the highest point of this part of the Great Glen Way and then take a short diversion onto the Abriachan Forest Walk to climb Carn na Leitire where there is a bench to sit and admire the views. In 1998 the local community purchased 540 hectares of forest and open hillside forming the Abriachan Forest Trust. Since then, the land has been managed to create local employment, new paths have been constructed and the native woodland has been increased. There is also a reconstructed Bronze Age hut that we can visit. Nearby is Loch Laide, where there is a hide to watch whooper swans and other birds.

Soon after this, at Blackford, we are going to head off the Great Glen Way and head back down to the Caledonian Canal. If we had continued on the Great Glen Way, we would have passed through a wood where the endangered black grouse still breeds, and we would have had views over Inverness coming down from the hills.

However, from Blackford, we zigzag down forest tracks, at times following the Dochfour Burn which tumbles down the hillside in a series of small waterfalls. We should have good views of Loch Dochfour, the last of the 4 lochs which make up the Caledonian Canal. Loch Dochfour was largely created when the Caledonian Canal was built, as the water level in Loch Ness rose causing the area where Loch Dochfour is to flood. The water in Loch Dochfour is held back from the River Ness by the Dochgarroch (or Ness) Weir which was designed by Thomas Telford and was constructed between 1825 and 1830. It had to be repaired recently with a huge amount of steel due to the increased pressure on the structure blamed on global warming.

At Dochgarroch, we see the last of the Caledonian Canal locks before we reach Inverness. From here you can take a ‘Jacobite’ cruise along Loch Ness from the departure point near the An Talla Visitor Centre, and if you wish, go ashore at Urquhart Castle for a visit. We cross the canal onto the towpath which lies between the Caledonian Canal and the River Ness using the lock gate, then follow it into the city.

We continue to follow the canal path until we reach Holm Mills Bridge. The bridge is near Pringles Mill which is in old mill buildings along the River Ness. It has no link to the famous Pringles knitwear. James Creek Pringle of Brora purchased the Holm Woollen Mill in 1771 to manufacture knitwear. It was operated by the family until 1989 when, due to retirement, it was purchased by the Edinburgh Woollen Mill and became Holm Shopping Village.

We leave the canal to follow the riverside walk into the centre of Inverness. The River Ness runs through the centre of the city and the walks are beautiful along both its banks here. We pass Whin Park, the Highland Archive and Registration Centre, the skate park, and Ness Islands en route. Fishermen are a regular sight on the river, wearing waders and casting for salmon when the river is not in spate.

On our left is Bught Park which, along with the Inverness Leisure Centre, Ice Rink, Botanic Gardens and Whin Park, was once part of the Bught Estate, which was sold to the local council in 1923 by Colonel Warrand, a popular figure in the area. On a side note, Inverness Botanic Gardens were opened in 1993, then known as the Floral Hall and Gardens, after a piece of waste ground was transformed into a tropical glasshouse and gardens. Bught Park itself now comprises parkland and a 5000-seater sports stadium. Shinty is played here on, what is considered to be, one of the best pitches for the game and is home to the Inverness Shinty Club.

A short walk along the riverside takes us past the Highland Hospice to Eden Court Theatre. As we walk this section, we pass the Infirmary Suspension Footbridge constructed in the late 1800s. There are a few of these bridges which span the river to the Islands as well as another in the city centre. Young Invernesians participate in an important rite of passage which involves jumping up and down in unison about a third of the way across the bridge! The bridge bobs like a boat on a wave; the youngsters love it, the adults not so much, particularly if you are in the middle at the time, and I speak from experience!

Eden Court Theatre opened in 1976, then underwent extensive refurbishment in 2007, and now comprises the theatre, a cinema, and an arts venue which includes Bishop’s Palace. The Bishop’s Palace was initially known as Eden Court, hence the theatre’s name; it was built for the Bishop of Eden, in gothic style between 1875-78, as a gift to thank him for building St Andrew’s Cathedral. The cathedral, which is located next to the palace, was completed in 1869. It is built of Tarradale stone and was one of the first Protestant cathedrals to be built in the UK after the Reformation. Its spire contains a ring of 10 bells, noted to be the most northerly peal of ‘change-ringing’ bells in a church in the world: change ringing needs a ringer to give commands to change the order of the bells.

After the Battle of Culloden, a poor economy and the repression of clan traditions pushed the area to its lowest point ever. From 1788 the Northern Meeting, founded by a group of local gentlemen, organised a variety of events to lift people’s spirits, which led to the establishment of the Northern Meeting Park behind the cathedral in 1864. The Highland Council are responsible for this park today, but its use still focuses on providing entertainment for the residents and tourists. The Gathering, the Marymass Fair and the Red Hot Highland Fling New Year Celebration on Hogmanay are all annual events on the Inverness calendar.

As we walk to Ness Bridge, the main road crossing the river in the city centre, we pass impressive hotel buildings while we also pass the castle on the opposite bank (we’ll visit that on our return from the north). This suspension bridge was opened in 1959 to replace a previous structure, the first bridge dating from 1849. At Ness bridge, we turn left away from the river to reach the Tomnahurich Street and Kenneth Street junction where we turn right to make our way out of the city.

We'll return to Inverness later to see more of what the city has to offer. For now, we head along Kenneth Street, then Telford Street to reach the Caledonian Canal Swing Bridge. The swing bridge is still in use today: during the summer months, it can create quite a traffic jam in the area! Just before the bridge, to our left are the Muirtown Locks and, to our right, the Muirtown Basin, which leads to the Clachnaharry Sea Locks at the end of the Caledonian Canal. The Muirtown Basin was designed by Thomas Telford and constructed during the early 1800s when the end of the canal was also extended to control the water levels at the Beauly Firth entrance. The canal never reached its full capability as, shortly after its completion, it was already too small to accommodate the larger boats in use. We follow the road to the right, behind the Caledonia Canal Office, to pick up the path alongside Muirtown Basin, now used as a marina. We cross the railway swing bridge and continue out to the sea locks at Clachnaharry.

The locks are situated in the old fishing village of Clachnaharry, hence their name, and are situated on the Beauly Firth tidal mudflats. We enjoy the fantastic views north to the Black Isle and Ben Wyvis Range, as we watch yachts pass through the locks. We then cross over the lock gates ourselves to follow the path back onto the main road. We pass the 17th-century Clachnaharry Inn, a great place for ‘craic’ (a good time) and a bite to eat with an excellent view. Perched on the hill, across the road from the inn, stands a monument to commemorate a fierce battle which took place here in 1454 between Clan Munro and Clan Chattan over the matter of passage money. Clan Munro were on their way home from conducting cattle raids in Perthshire when a dispute arose about the amount of ‘tax’ they were due to pay Clan Chattan for safe passage through the area. A battle then followed.

We continue alongside the Beauly Firth with care as we are on the main road here and there is no real walkway. To our left is Craig Phadrig, a hill whose name means ‘Patrick’s Rock’, where vitrified remains of a hill fort dating back to 300 BC are located on the wooded hilltop. Bridei mac Maelchon, a Pictish King, is believed to have lived here at some point between 400-600 AD: as a result, the area has been referred to as the original Inverness. All that can be seen today is an oval-shaped mound of earthwork banks which cover the 20-foot-thick wall remains. It would have been a great defensive position, so it's understandable why they chose the site; it also means there are fantastic views from the top, looking over Loch Ness to the south and the Beauly Firth to the north.

Our journey to the north will be, for the most part, following the coastline road which, in recent years, is recognised as part of the North Coast 500. The route is usually driven and has fantastic scenery and places to visit. It is, therefore, the best route for us to follow as there isn't a designated walking route to John O’Groats yet!

After a few kilometres, we arrive at the village of Bunchrew, ‘Bun Chraoibh’, which means "foot of the tree". Bunchrew House, a Scot’s baronial style mansion completed in the late 1800s, sits on the Beauly Firth shore here. In 1505, Alexander of Lovat built a blackhouse on the site. By 1621, Simon Fraser, 8th Lord Lovat, had completed an extension of the property, then the family sold the house to John Forbes in 1673. There was a moat around the house with a drawbridge at this point, but no evidence of this remained by the late 19th century. Forbes landscaped the grounds, which remain unchanged, including the planting of the impressive Cedar of Lebanon. It is known as the 'Loving Tree’ and is said to bring good fortune to couples who dedicate themselves to each other under its branches. In 1842, the house was sold to John Fraser, an Inverness tea merchant, whose family later became known as the Fraser MacKenzies. They extended the property to become the grand house you see today; it is still in their family and is run as a country house hotel.

As we return from the north to explore the Inverness area, the west of Inverness, the Beauly Firth, Black Isle, and along the shores of Loch Ness was historically and for the most part, Fraser of Lovat lands, so you will hear the name Fraser mentioned often. Most of the land has been sold or lost over the centuries, but a Lovat Estate still exists near Beauly; we will walk some of it shortly.

We walk 8 kilometres further along the coast, enjoying the scenery as we pass through Lentran, then leave the road at Inchmore, to arrive at Kirkhill. The Wardlaw Graveyard is located here on the slopes of Beauly Firth, where the Lovat Mausoleum is also found. Historically, this land belonged to the Frasers of Lovat, who constructed the mausoleum in 1634: several members of the clan are buried here. However, Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, who was nicknamed the ‘Old Fox’, is not buried here. After the Battle of Culloden, the 'Old Fox' was caught, taken to the Tower of London, where he was convicted of treason then beheaded in 1747.

The Wardlaw Mausoleum Trust was formed in the 1990s to care for the structure. In 2018, DNA analysis was performed on the unknown, headless corpse lying inside a lead coffin in the crypt which bears Simon Fraser’s nameplate. The Trust hoped that it would be the remains of the ‘Old Fox’, secreted back to Scotland for burial by his loyal clansmen. In fact, DNA proved the body was that of a woman, so the ‘Old Fox’ Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, isn't buried here after all. His body lies in the Tower of London's St Peter ad Vincula Chapel, as a plaque that bears his name there testifies. Organised tours can be organised through contacting the Trust.

From Kirkhill, we head away from the coast to walk through the Achnagairn Estate, whose name means ‘field of the cairns’. We pass Achnagairn Castle, built around 1812, although there have been other structures on this site for over 400 years. There isn't much history recorded publicly about the castle, but in an Agricultural report of 1784, the estate was listed as belonging to a Mr Fraser, who was an eminent merchant in London, who was spending a lot of money on a property here. It is privately owned today and is run as a luxury hotel and wedding venue.

We follow a trail south through the woods, alongside Newton Burn, to reach the main road. Once across, we continue along a lane until we reach the Reelig Glen Walk. This area belonged to the Fraser family for 500 years, until it was purchased in 1949: it is now cared for by Forestry and Land Scotland. The walk exists, thanks to James Baillie Fraser, who, inspired by a trip to Italy, oversaw its creation on the banks of the Moniack Burn, which runs through the narrow, steep-sided glen. Local workers planted trees, built a bridge, a grotto, and other so-called 'ruins' for the family to enjoy. Reelig comes from Norse, meaning ‘mill’, whose ‘remains’ can be found scattered down the glen. We follow the path to enjoy some of the tallest trees in the UK, which also gives the glen the name, ‘Tall Trees Walk’. The grotto, located at the walk mid-point, creates a mystical atmosphere and is possibly the reason it is also nicknamed ‘Fairy Glen’.

Returning to the walk car park we head south-west over the wooded hill, to join the minor road on the other side, then head north. As we do so we pass Knockbain Farm, where the Frasers of Reelig are still based today, on part of the remaining Lovat Estate. Reaching the road end, through the trees is another Fraser-owned castle, Moniack Castle. Constructed in 1580 as a tower house by Clan Fraser, it is currently the only castle still belonging to a branch of the Frasers of Lovat, known as the Moniack Frasers, who still live here. The East Wing of the Castle has an apartment for rent, but apart from that, it isn't open to the public.

We turn left and head through several villages to re-join the main road (A862). Here, the next turn left onto the A833 would take you to Belladrum, then on to Kiltarlity. Belladrum has become famous in recent years for the Tartan Heart Festival, established in 2004 and held on the Belladrum Estate every summer. It might sound like a strange name, but it comes from the Gaelic, Baile an Druim, meaning ‘farm of the ridge’. It was once part of the Lovat Estates and Phoineas House, which dates from the 1740s, was burnt after the Battle of Culloden. However, the house was rebuilt, some of the original walls remain; the estate was sold to the Merry family in 1857 and it remains in the family’s care today. It is well-known locally for its festival and a temple, built on the grounds in the 1930s, where small weddings are held.

We cross the Lovat Bridge which spans the River Beauly, another designed by Thomas Telford which opened in 1817. This road was once the A9 route north until the Kessock Bridge was completed in 1982. Before the Lovat bridge arrived, people and goods were taken across the river by ferries at the Beauly Priory initially, and then latterly from Beauly itself. The road takes a sharp curve right northward alongside the river, but we take a left off the road to walk for 5 kilometres along the river which is great for salmon fishing. We are here because, hopefully, on the opposite side we’ll spy the red stone tower of Beaufort Castle peeking above the trees. It's the nearest you can get to the castle today which was sold in 1995 to pay for clan death duties. It was sold to Ann Gloag, Stagecoach director, and the current Lord Lovat has vowed to buy it back. There has been a castle here since the 12th century, originally called Castle Dounie, and the 11th Lord Lovat, the ‘Old Fox’ or ‘MacShimi’ as he was also known, was born here. Castle Dounie was destroyed in 1745 by the Duke of Cumberland, and the Frasers were stripped of their lands after the Jacobite Rebellion. The lands were returned to the Old Fox’s son in 1774 because he had found favour by raising the 78th Fraser Highlanders for the British Army. The castle on the site today dates to 1839, which incorporates the house built after Castle Dounie’s destruction. The clan has an interesting history, and it is worth reading about them further.  

Returning to the main road, we head into Beauly, a town that sits nestled on the river’s north bank. It takes its name from the French, beau lieu, meaning ‘beautiful place’. It was named by the Lovat family who came here from France with the Normans in the 11th century. We walk through the pretty main street, adorned with floral baskets (they have won prizes for their floral displays in the past), past the large square which was laid out by Baron Fraser in the 1840s. There was a Beauly Cattle Market held here and drovers heading south would stop here en route to the Crieff and Falkirk markets.

At the end of the square lies the red stone ruins of the Beauly Priory surrounded by trees. The town started life as a settlement around the priory, founded here in c1230 by Sir John Bissett of Lovat for French monks. It was called St John the Baptist Priory and expanded under the charge of Prior Robert Reid in 1541. He was well-known as the Bishop of Orkney and responsible for the founding of Edinburgh University, having left money on his death to create a seat of learning in the city. The priory was abandoned during the Scottish Reformation and its buildings were used as a quarry to supply materials for other structures in the area. A little rebuilding took place in the early 1900s when a MacKenzie Mausoleum was built here, creating the ruin as we see today. There are early chieftains of the Frasers of Lovat and MacKenzie Clans buried in the graveyard, as well as in the priory itself. The ruins have been in state care since 1913, now maintained by Historic Environment Scotland.

From the priory, we take the path along the river, leaving its banks to pass Tarradale House and return to the main road, the A832, for a time, crossing the boundary onto the Black Isle Peninsula as we do so. We walk 6 kilometres through many small villages, passing fields and woods to reach the Tore roundabout, a junction on the A9. We continue on the A832 for a further 4 kilometres, leaving the road just before Munlochy to walk the Clootie Well area in Hill O’Hirdie Wood. There were many of these wells across Scotland during pagan times, a handful still exist today, of which this is one. Initially dedicated to a water spirit, this well is now dedicated to St Boniface. Under the tree canopy, a spring emerges from the hill here, a trough collects the water where healing rituals are performed. You can't miss this place; the trees are littered with rags, clothing, shoes and stuffed animals, to name but a few! Several thoughts come to mind: magical, haunting, unsettling...bizarre. People still use it as a place of pilgrimage, coming to wet a rag in the waters, then hang it on a tree near the well. This particular well is believed to cure sick children and, it is thought, children in the past were left here overnight for the spirit to cure them. As the rag, or ‘cloot’, rots on the tree the illness leaves the person. The trees are burgeoning with the offerings that have been left; no one wants to clear them away should they take on all the ills of the sufferers! The Forestry and Land Scotland permit rags to be left but ask for biodegradable cotton or wool fragments only. The well is mentioned in Ian Rankin’s ‘The Naming of the Dead’.

Just a short jaunt along the road we pass the small village of Munlochy, sitting near the head of Munlochy Bay which opens into the Moray Firth. The bay is an area of Special Scientific Interest and an RSPB Reserve, with its combination of sand, mud and salt flats. The bay was used for shipbuilding in the late 1800s and there are remains of a jetty and storehouse on its southside; the area was also a good source of clay.

Munlochy is a quiet village, mostly driven through today, but people have lived in this area since prehistoric times, the earliest records appearing in the 14th century. The 1760s saw an influx of labourers from quarries that had been set up to provide stone for the building of Fort George at Ardersier. During World War 2 there was a prison camp for Italian and German Prisoners of War, and they helped on the local farms while here.

From Munlochy to Avoch is 5 kilometres walk and, as we pass the hill approaching the village, we see a smaller mound behind it near the shore called Ormond Hill. The remains of Ormond or Avoch Castle sit on its mound, dating back to the 12th century. The castle was remodelled into a Royal Fortress in 1200-14 by William the Lion. It changed hands several times but met its fate with Cromwell, who destroyed it in the 1650s. You can walk from Avoch along the coastline to climb the gentle path around the mound to the top; it has a memorial cairn at its peak with great views over the Moray Firth.

Avoch (pronounced ‘Och’), ‘Abhach’ in Gaelic meaning ‘mouth of the stream’, grew on Avoch Bay from the settlement which served the castle on Ormond Hill. Historically, it was a fishing village and remains so to this day; you can also take a boat trip to watch the dolphins at Chanonry Point from here. As we pass through the village, we see Avoch Parish Church. It's worth mentioning that Sir Alexander MacKenzie, a fearless explorer retired here in 1812. He was the first European to explore the MacKenzie River in Canada, as well as cross North America twice; firstly, to the Arctic Ocean in 1789, and secondly, to the Pacific Ocean in 1793. He died in 1820 and is buried in the church graveyard.

There is a very narrow shoreside road leading from Avoch to Fortrose. Fortunately, a disused railway track has been turned into a trail here, so we use this to walk the fairly flat 2 kilometres through the pleasant Craigie Wood to Fortrose.