Walk: Fine firth views from Craig Phadrig

📌 Inverness, Highland
★★★

The wooded slopes of Craig Phadrig rise steeply above the western suburbs of Inverness. You’d expect a summit so close to the city centre to have decent views over the town, but in fact this side of the panorama is obscured by trees. Instead, there’s a glorious vista to the northwest over the Beauly Firth with the dark mass of Ben Wyvis on the horizon. The top of Craig Phadrig also includes an Iron Age Hill fort, later becoming the seat of a Pictish king. You can just about make out the vitrified walls surrounding a grassy void which used to be the middle of the fort, though this is less captivating than the views. Reaching the top involves a steep but very short walk from a car park on the south side of the hill. There are several path options – the details below describe the most direct route.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish off Leachkin Brae, Kinmylies, 2 mi west of Inverness city centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NH 639449

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.474055,-4.271951

🚌 Bus to Kinmylies

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 1 km / <1 mi | ▲ 60 m | ⌛ 30 min

Features: △ Craig Phadrig (172 m)

⬤ Easy | Good paths or tracks, steep if the direct route is taken, with steps in places.

➡️ Out-and-back walk using direct path to Craig Phadrig summit & fort. Area map 🔗 here – our route doesn’t fully follow the waymarked trails

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Woodland birds, lots of dogs.

Weather: Dry, Decent sunny intervals.

July 2018