Beannaichte is Mallaichte Overview of destinations Other places of interest Welcome to the Anns an t-seann aimsir, bhiodh na Gàidheil a’ samhlachadh daoine ri craobhan, le cuid dhiubh ‘beannaichte’ agus feadhainn eile ‘mallaichte’. 1 Little Garve to Silverbridge Slattadale | Grid ref: NG 888 719 Grid ref: NH 395 630 forests of Ross Coimhead airson na craoibh-chrithinn a tha ‘mallaichte’. Soak up magnificent Highland scenery Tha a duilleagan air chrith fad na h-ùine (an rud a thug a Peaceful riverside trail with from Slattadale pinewoods, with its pockets h-ainm dhi). Thathar ag ràdh gur e as coireach ri sin gur ann à historic bridges. (Toilets open all year). of ancient oak and birch woodland. Stunning and Cromarty fiodh na craoibhe seo a chaidh crann-ceusaidh Chrìosd a thogail. views of Loch Maree and Slioch mountain. View along the ‘Cat’s Back’, Knockfarrel, Blackmuir Wood Slioch, overlooking Loch Maree, Slattadale 22 Rogie Falls | Grid ref: NH 442 585 A Sunday stroll? An all-day adventure? Impressive waterfalls and the chance of Inverlael | Grid ref: NH 181 853 Find the trail that’s right for you... seeing leaping salmon. (Toilets open Apr - Oct). Explore the evocative remains of the township of Inverlael, once the largest settlement north of Dingwall. Its tenants were evicted in the 1820s to Starting in the west, follow the 33 Contin | Grid ref: NH 454 566 make way for sheep farming. famous Blackwater river to take Great views west down Strathconon. in historic bridges at Silverbridge (Toilets open Apr - Oct). and Little Garve, leaping salmon Lael Forest Garden at Rogie Falls and great views Grid ref: NH 195 806 44 Blackmuir Wood | Grid ref: NH 477 574 near Contin. Explore this unique collection of trees from all over the world. Step back in time as you head east, A geological maze and a ridge with a geological labyrinth and an walk to an Iron Age fort. Rogie Falls suspension bridge Iron Age fort at Blackmuir, and Loch Achilty | Grid ref: NH 426 563 a survivor from Scotland’s earliest 55 Monadh Mòr | Grid ref: NH 579 526 Pause for a picnic and to admire the view woodlands at Monadh Mòr. Unique restored bog woodland habitat. of the loch from this quiet glade amongst birch Further north, there are three lovely and alder trees. trails near Tain. Explore the ancient 66 Strathrory to Scotsburn drove road between Strathrory and Clootie Well | Grid ref: NH 639 536 Scotsburn, meander by the Aldie Drove Road | Grid ref: NH 667 778 Burn, and take in breathtaking Hoof it along this ancient drovers’ route! Feeling under the weather? Time to visit the views from Tain Hill. Clootie Well! In a ritual dating back more than 1500 Aldie Burn years, dip your cloth or ‘cloot’* into the waters of 77 Aldie Burn | Grid ref: NH 758 779 the well, offer up a prayer and tie the cloth to a Easy trails past wildlife ponds tree. As the cloth rots away, so the illness will leave and a pretty burn. your body. Alternatively, you’re bound to feel better after walking one of the short woodland trails here. Alphabet Forest * If you do add your own cloot, please consider the environment 88 Tain Hill | Grid ref: NH 752 812 Did you know that the Gaels and ensure the material you use is bio-degradable. Thank you. named the eighteen letters of Spectacular views over the Dornoch Firth. their alphabet after eighteen trees Learnie Red Rock and shrubs? Letter ‘b’ was named MTB Trails | Grid ref: NH 736 614 beithe after birch tree, and ‘f’ was named feàrna, Mountain bikers of all levels will revel in the alder. See if you can find these ‘alphabetical’ species the singletrack Red Rock Trails at Learnie. as you wander through the woods of Ross and Cromarty.
7 Aldie Burn These well-loved woodland trails are full of interest: Tain Hill Slow burn wildlife ponds, the attractive Aldie Burn and gnarled 8 A rock with a view Scots pine trees. Paths are level, well-marked and suitable for pushchair and wheelchair use. Contact details: The gently flowing Aldie Burn Explore The forests of North Region used to power corn and woollen Enjoy Tel: 0300 067 6100 mills further downstream at and Ross and Email: [email protected] Aldie. These days, things are more Discover relaxed. Bring a picnic and enjoy a lazy summer’s day ‘ploutering’ in Cromarty For more ideas of great days out in the forest, the shallows. If you’re very lucky, visit our website: you just might spot an otter. Highlands Follow us on forestryandland.gov.scot Bridge over Aldie Burn Pond Trail: Trail Pulpit Rock Trail: Trail ¾ mile / 1.3 km 1 ¼ miles / 2 km info Allow ½ hour Pulpit Rock info Allow 1 hour Burn Trail: 2 miles / 3.2 km Breathtaking views from the top of Tain Hill Allow 1 ½ hours above the historic Royal Burgh town of Tain. The circular trail takes you through mixed pine woodland, where pine martens have been seen and then up to the summit of Tain Hill. From Pulpit Rock, the highest point, there are panoramic views across Crown copyright and database right [2012]. All rights Crown copyright and database right [2012]. All rights
© reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number [100021242]. the Dornoch Firth to Tarbet Ness, and south over the Cromarty Firth. Look out for more of our leaflets covering some of the forests Between the hill and Tarbet Ness, to the east of Tain, is Morrich More, a significant in the area and valuable area of sand-flats, dunes and salt marsh, used by the RAF as a weapons
Front cover main image: testing range. Its name derives from the Gaelic Moraich Mhòr, ‘large sea-plain’. Looking towards Rogie Falls bridge. Photo by Paul Hibberd.
Designed by Design & Visitor Planning, Forestry and Land Scotland - D&VP/7K/Allander/April 2019 (edition 4). CMC Associates. Photography by Phil Downie, Colin Leslie, Graeme Findlay, written by Elspeth Mackay, Text Brian Duff and Liz Whiteford. For information on public transport services contact: Traveline Scotland, 0871 2002233 or www.travelinescotland.com
© Crown Copyright 2019 1 Little Garve - Silverbridge 2 Rogie Falls Contin A tale of two bridges Home and dry 3 Kings of the forest
The Blackwater river is known in Gaelic as An t-Alltan Dubh (‘the black burn’) and is the subject of a famous hunting song written by Donald Fraser, the ‘Fannich Bard’. Silverbridge
This attractive, circular riverside walk is topped and tailed by two historic bridges. A peaceful, level path through mixed woodland with ever- changing river views. Rogie Falls As you stroll by the Blackwater river, you’re walking in the footsteps of soldiers – and cows! Silverbridge is part Oak & birch woodland of an ancient route used by drovers herding their cattle Enjoy these waterfalls up to Muir of Ord and the markets to the south. The high- close from the suspension There’s something for everyone in the oak arched bridge at Little Garve was part of a military road bridge – particularly Trail Salmon Trail: and birch woodland to the west of Contin. which was built between Contin and the west coast at impressive after heavy ½ mile / 0.7 km info Allow 20 minutes A short, flat, easy trail loops from the car park, Poolewe around 250 years ago. It’s known as Wade’s rainfall! A network while the more energetic can enjoy great views up Bridge, but it was of short trails lead to Riverside Trail: Strathconon by following the trail up to the ‘view rock’. actually built by Wade’s viewpoints overlooking ¾ mile / 1.3 km Look west across the glen and you’ll see the hill called Allow ½ hour successor, Major the falls and a dramatic Craigdarroch (Creag an Daraich). This is named for the William Caulfeild. gully as well as more tranquil stretches of river. darach, the oak tree, a species fondly dubbed rìgh na The open woodland of the lower Look out for brown coille, ‘the king of the forest’ by the Gaels. Did you know that Rogie Falls is one of the best places in trout in the pools slopes are home to both red and Scotland to watch salmon as they ‘run’ upstream? From below the bridge. Wade’s Bridge roe deer, and in summer you can see July to October salmon can be spotted leaping up the Trail Blackwater Trail: pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies. ½ mile / 0.75 km waterfalls as they make their way up the river to find This is also a good place to spot frisky Bridge Trail: Allow 20 minutes Trail a mate and lay their eggs. The fish are returning to the info 2 miles / 3.2 km native red squirrels. info Allow 1 ½ hours same spot where they themselves were hatched. View Rock Trail: 2 ¾ miles / 4.4 km You can report any sightings at If they look tired, it’s no wonder: the salmon have Allow 2 hours www.redsquirrelsofthehighlands.co.uk travelled huge distances from cold northerly seas to return to their home river. A fish ‘ladder’ gives salmon a helping hand to reach the top of the falls when the river You can discover more about the amazing 4 Blackmuir Wood level is low. Cheer them on – they’re nearly home! life story of the salmon on the red Salmon Trail. A-maze-ing views! 6 Strathrory - Scotsburn Drove Road Stravaig through the strath Explore this unique bog woodland, a rare Pearl-bordered From the outskirts of Strathpeffer, trails lead to fritillary a geological labyrinth,Little Ga rvande - Silv oner toBridge an exhilarating 5 Monadh Mòr survivor from the end of the ice age, on a In summer the strath is alive with birds, ridge and Iron AgeScale fort 1:13500 at Knockfarrel. Rare survivor well-marked level trail. butterflies and wildflowers. Listen for the ‘chat! chat!’ of the stonechat and if you’re lucky (and an At the Touchstone Maze over 80 boulders are laid out in a Around 14,000 years ago, as the glaciers retreated they early riser), in spring you might see male black labyrinth, based on ancient designs. The stones represent left ridges and hollows here which gradually filled up grouse gathering at a ‘lek’ to compete for a mate. the range of rocks which make up North Scotland, and with pools of water. On ridges between these boggy areas include 3,000 million-year-old Lewisian gneiss, among the pine and birch trees took root, growing slowly because oldest rock-types in the world. of the poor quality of the soil. Monadh Mòr is the largest Follow the route of this drove road for a Touchstone Maze remaining bog woodland in Scotland. Along the airy ridge known as the Cat’s Back you’ll reach challenging but rewarding wander by the In the 1960s this area was planted with commercial Strathrory river through oak and pinewoods and Red Kite Trail: the site of the fort at Knockfarrel, built around 2,500 Trail across open moorland. You’ll need to organise 1 ½ miles / 2 km years ago. There are signs of vitrifaction here, where forestry, which made the bog dry out. Recent conservation info Allow ½ hour stones have fused together because of great heat. is restoring the bog woodland, by removing planted trees transport from the end – or be prepared to walk Archaeologists are still arguing about the cause! and allowing the bog to fill up with water again. Today Touchstone Maze Trail: Cattle along the drove road back to the start. Monadh Mòr is a beautiful woodland, home to a range 2 ¼ miles / 3.5 km Used by drovers herding their cattle to market from of wildllife: darting dragonflies and damselflies, crossbills, Allow ¾ hour You may see red kites floating above you the 17th century, the strath has been settled for at and even ospreys. Trail The Drovers Trail: Along to the end of the Cat’s Back: here, and the views east down the Cromarty 4 ½ miles / 7.4 km (each way) least 6,000 years. Look out for signs of Bronze Age 2 miles / 3.3 km, allow 1 hour (each way). Firth and north to Ben Wyvis are spectacular. info Allow 3 ½ hours (each way) settlements, an unfinished Iron Age hill fort and the Please note, this section is not waymarked. Monadh Mòr Trail: Trail remains of more recently-abandoned croft buildings. Monadh Mòr Trail 4 miles / 6.5 km info Allow 2 hours
Easy: Bog woodland Easy: Sensible Muscle Trail grading footwear Loosener There’s a lot of boggy country in the Highland landscape, and this is reflected Trails in this leaflet are Moderate Moderate in the richness of Gaelic vocabulary. Did you know there are almost forty words graded according to the Waterproof Muscle footwear Stretcher in Gaelic for ‘bog’ or ‘marsh’? Among the most common are mòine, poll, fèith degree of difficulty, gradients Strenuous and làpach. And of course, the English word ‘bog’ is itself of Gaelic origin! and type of conditions Strenuous visitors can expect. Hillwalking Muscle boots builder