Walk: The Mannie of Bhraggie

📌 Golspie, Highland
★★★

The 100 foot-high, all-seeing Duke of Sutherland dominates the skyline above Golspie and the A9. Once you know its story, it feels as unsettling as the more southerly Fyrish Monument is graceful. Its subject, George Leveson-Gower, was a controversial figure who instigated land reforms leading to the displacement of thousands of residents from their homes during the Highland Clearances. Attempts to remove or damage the statue continue almost 200 years after its creation. The slopes below Ben Bhraggie and its monument are criss-crossed by some of the best mountain bike trails in the Highlands, but footpaths also snake up the hill from the bottom – first through woodland, then onto open moorland. Tracks descending the northern slopes enable a link with the beautiful Big Burn gorge, before a return along the coast road.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on Fountain Road, Golspie town centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NC 831001

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.974948,-3.977804

🚌 Bus to Golspie | 🚆 Golspie (0.5 mi)

🚗 Car park (several alternatives elsewhere on lower part of route)

📝 Key info

▶ 10 km / 6 mi | ▲ 400 m | ⌛ 3.5-4 hr

Features: ✞ Duke of Sutherland Monument; △ Ben Bhraggie (397 m); 🌊 Big Burn waterfall ★★★

⬤ Moderate | Fairly steep and narrow paths for ascent, with some track sections. Moorland track descent, then clear path through gorge & pavement return.

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Highland Wildcat car park – Duke of Sutherland Monument – Ben Bhraggie summit – track northwest then east to Ben Bhraggie Wood – Big Burn waterfall & gorge (top to bottom) – start via A9

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Roe deer in Ben Bhraggie Wood, grey wagtails & tits in Big Burn gorge.

Weather: Mostly cloudy, a little rain at first, some sun later on. Temperature in high teens.

June 2023