Walk: Cromarty coast, caves & sea stacks

📌 Black Isle, Highland
★★

The Black Isle peninsula is shaped a little like a ship’s bow jutting out into the Moray Firth. At the tip of the peninsula are the Sutors Stacks (unseen from the coast path), while further south there’s a striking natural arch and sea stack at McFarquhar’s Bed, surrounded by several small caves. This route from Cromarty follows the coastline using increasingly rough paths, before cutting inland through farmland for the return leg. Views across the Cromarty and Moray Firths are excellent, but parts of the route can become overgrown in high summer, which can result in sodden boots when the vegetation is wet!

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on Forsyth Place, Cromarty village centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NH 789676

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.681508,-4.032393

🚌 Bus to Cromarty

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 8 km / 5 mi | ▲ 250 m | ⌛ 3 hr

Features: 🏠 Cromarty ★★ & village sights; ⛰️ McFarquhar’s Bed

⬤ Moderate | Coastal section on paths, with some overgrown / steep sections around McFarquhar’s Bed. One gate was tied shut on our visit, requiring climbing over. Minor road return.

➡️ Clockwise circuit with detour to McFarquhar’s Bed: start & Cromarty – coast path to minor road end and viewpoint at Sutors of Cromarty – path junction at 🧭 NH 799655 – descend to McFarquhar’s Bed – return to path junction – Cromarty Mains Farm – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Sheep & chunky lambs, seagulls, butterflies, ticks. This is a good area to spot dolphins out in the firth.

Weather: Mix of sun & clouds after earlier rain, temperature in high teens.

June 2023