Walk: Ord Hill – by the bridge to the Black Isle

📌 Black Isle, Highland
★★★

This forested summit at the north end of the Kessock Bridge is one of the closest hills to Inverness. The start of the walk in a messy car park next to a dual carriageway is the low point in more ways than one, but things soon improve with height, with excellent views of the bridge and capital of the Highlands from a few spots where the trees thin out. At the top of the hill is an Iron Age hill fort, while a more modern trig point is relegated to a spot further downhill. The return route begins with a very steep descent, but leads to an easy track with further good views over the Moray Firth to Nairnshire. Keep an eye out for red squirrels!

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on north side of A9 (access from southeastbound side only), North Kessock

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NH 654481

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.502967,-4.247003

🚌 Bus stops on A9 near Craigton – join walk on southeast side via path link

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 200 m | ⌛ 1.5-2 hr

Features: 🌉 Kessock Bridge viewpoints; △ Ord Hill (191 m) & fort

⬤ Moderate | Narrow paths and some track sections. Navigation is a little confusing on ascent due to the sheer number of paths – the main routes omit the trig point. Descent from the summit is steep and slippery.

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – path at far east end of car park – bridge viewpoint – Ord Hill triangulation pillar – Ord Hill true summit / fort – descend northeast to track – track around southeast side of hill – rejoin outward route – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: 3 or 4 red squirrels.

Weather: Cloudy with some sunny intervals, light wind, temperature in mid teens.

July 2020