Walking the Highlands Western Highlands & Skye Walks This is arguably where you'll find much of the picture-postcard scenery for which Scotland is so renowned. On the mainland, long sea lochs creep deep inland, overshadowed by magnificent mountains & the unspoilt peninsulas to the west are regarded as amongst some of the last unspoilt wilderness areas of Europe - rugged land where nature commands. Lochaber dominates this part of Scotland & includes some of Scotland's finest mountains. Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis is here & further south in Glencoe hill enthusiasts will find a veritable hillwalking paradise. Numerous forest walks can also be found throughout this area for those who prefer to look up to the summits rather than from them! Of all Highland landforms, the mountain profiles of Skye create the strongest sense of awe, & have drawn visitors to the island since the days of Sir Walter Scott. Here, you'll find the Black Cuillin - a famous (or notorious) 13 km ridge of narrow crests & sharp aretes linking 11 Munros together & represents, for many, the ultimate UK mountaineering challenge. This is the domain of experienced climbers only. If however you're looking for more pastoral walking the Sleat peninsula further south offers a more gentle & greener perspective with fabulous views across the sea to the mainland. Moderate Walks There can be few places that offer easy walking in such a spectacular surroundings as the Western Highlands. Although the landscape is wild & rugged, there are plenty of gentle walks in glens, through forests & by the sea. Soaring mountains, rapid rivers, glassy lochs & dramatic islands provide stunning backdrops for these walks. As the coastline is deeply indented by sea lochs there are miles of varied walking along the shore. On Skye you can walk out to cliffs or on the mainland you can explore the hidden beaches of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Near Arisaig otters swim in rocky bays & a little further north the dazzling white sands & grassy dunes of Morar have featured in a film. Picture postcards views are also found at Plockton, where colourful cottages line the shore. Even some of the more remote places such as Glenelg or Inverie in Knoydart can offer fairly easy walking & the chance of spotting porpoises in the sea lochs. The Western Highlands have a mix of both natural & planted woodlands & many of these provide good walking along well-prepared tracks. The conifer forests at Leanachan near Spean Bridge, Inchree south of Fort William & in Glen Garry west of the Great Glen all have a selection of waymarked trails. Wilder surroundings are found in Glen Affric, where walks run through native Caledonian pine forest, carpeted in heather. Most walks have some special feature of interest, for instance in Gleann Beag where three brochs - beehive-shaped Pictish forts - can be visited. Elsewhere a short hike will take you to spectacular waterfalls, such as Plodda Falls near Cannich & Grey Mare's Waterfall above Kinlochleven. Or for a relaxing family outing enjoy a gentle stroll round the picturesque lochan in the forest above Glencoe village. Jenkins Park Fort Augustus Distance 6.44 kms App Time 2.00 hours Height Gain 250 m This is a good morning's or afternoon's walk. It is circular & the outward part follows an old military road leading over to Glenmoriston. There are no waymark posts but the route presents no difficulty. It's a forest walk but with many open areas giving good views; you also pass two waterfalls. Waterproof footwear is recommended. From the Information Centre in Fort Augustus go left on the A82 for fifty metres to a sign for Jenkins Park. Turn off there up the steep Bunoich Brae till you reach a signpost for Jenkins Park 0.75mile. Follow this sign till the road turns left; but you keep straight on, on a narrower road, to park at the road end (371095). Reelig Glen Distance 2.1 kms App Time 50 min Height Gain 70 m A short walk through the spectacular trees of this Forestry Commission wood which is effectively a wild natural garden. The Fraser family, who owned the land for 500 years, planted many species of trees in the early 1800s, many of them newly introduced to the UK at the time. Today many of them are amongst the tallest in the UK at over 200ft. The walk itself follows built paths & is ideal for families. Its sheltered location also makes it a good choice in any weather, as evidenced by the snow in the photographs used to illustrate the walk! The route described is known as the low walk but a short detour to the viewpoint on the high walk is described as a spur at the end of the route. Reelig Glen lies just off the A862 Inverness to Beauly road, about eight miles west of Inverness. Leave the A862 where the road is signposted Moniack & C l u ne s - keep straight on along this road & the car park is one mile away. There is no public transport to the car park but there is a regular bus service between Inverness & Beauly which passes the road end & will drop / pick up passengers there. This would make the whole walk just over three miles. Glencoe Lochan Distance 2 kms App Time 45 min Height Gain 20 m A short circular amid a variety of trees & Rhododendron with a superb mountain backdrop. The Lochan trail is suitable for wheelchairs. Drumnadrochit – Craigmonie – Divach Falls Distance 8.5 kms App Time 2.30 hours Height Gain 150 m A family walk from the village of Drumnadrochit, on the north shore of Loch Ness. Drumnadrochit is the main Monster-spotting centre, so carry your binoculars & camera. The walk climbs to the viewpoint on Craigmonie then goes on to the Divach Falls, returning by a slightly different route. You begin at the car park in the village centre, go along two streets, then climb Craigmonie Hill (150m) through mixed woodlands, on good, often narrow, paths. There are strategically placed seats... The view from the viewpoint, looking over the village to Urquhart Bay & Loch Ness, is superb. The few remains of the Iron Age fort are a few metres above the viewpoint. After descending into the valley of the River Coiltie there is a steep climb, on a road, to reach the Divach Falls. Return to the car park is by a shorter route. Overall there are some steepish sections, but, not hurrying, it`s an easy family walk. Drumnadrochit is 15 miles south of Inverness,on the A82, on the north shore of Loch Ness. The car park is in the centre of the village, at the Information Centre. Scottish Citylink operate between Inverness & Drumnadrochit. Inverfarigaig – Foyers – Loch Ness - Inverfarigaig Distance 10.47 kms App Time 4 hours Height Gain 300 m This is a delightful walk full of variety (in paths, views, flora, tree types...). From the Information. Centre at the Inverfarigaig car park the route rises steeply through forest to a view point overlooking the Loch. It continues, rising & falling as it crosses several ridges, offering good views in all directions, before reaching Upper Foyers. It then descends to Lower Foyers, with views to the Falls. The return to Inverfarigaig is by a variety of paths along the shore of Loch Ness. It can be linked to the Falls of Foyers walk. Inverfarigaig is 18 miles south of Inverness, on the south shore of Loch Ness. It is on the B852, which runs along the lochside. At Inverfarigaig turn off left, near the phone box, at the sign Forest Walks 50 metres, to reach the car park. There is a limited bus service from Inverness to Foyers. Torr Dhuin Forest Walk Distance 3 kms App Time 1 hour Height Gain 90 m This a nice walk which takes up through the forest, to where you get some views out over the River Oich & the Caledonian Canal & is a pleasant way to spend an hour or so wandering through the forest. Take the first road on the left off the A82 Fort Augustus - Inverness road heading towards Inverness & follow this to the far end; it changes from a tarmac road to dirt road but keep going even if you think you must have gone past the car park. There is parking at the start of the walk. Eigg – Caves & Lodge Distance 4 kms App Time 2 hour Height Gain 150 m The route takes the uphill road straight ahead (not the ¿main¿ road around the bay) past the 1997 ¿Independence Stone¿ & the plantation woodland before the road climbs towards the top of a field to a gate that marks the beginning of the Caves Path on your left. This path descends to the shore where the path to the right leads to the Cathedral Cave (tidal) while to the left & tucked back into the cliffs is the narrow entrance to the gloomy Massacre Cave, the scene of the 16th century massacre of the entire island population. The walk starts from the pier on Eigg which is reached by ferry from either Mallaig (all year) or Arisaig (summer only) Ardnish Peninsula & Peanmenach Distance 11 kms App Time 3 hours 30 min Height Gain 175 m A wonderfully varied route with spectacular views. The route crosses the Ardnish Peninsula & a freshwater loch which is excellent for swimming, to a small settlement on the point of the peninsula & a bay, long since deserted, but with a well-maintained bothy among the ruins. The bothy is open & visitors are welcome to stay. If you intend to do so, please collect some firewood as you make your way through the woods to replace any you use.