📌 Black Isle, Highland
★★★
If the popular short walk through Fairy Glen and its waterfalls isn’t enough, consider extending the route into a half day circuit exploring the countryside to the north of Rosemarkie. After climbing out of the glen, a 2-mile road walk isn’t the most auspicious of starts. Things fortunately improve once the tarmac is left behind, with the compact top of Brown Hill offering wide views across the ocean to Moray. Best of all is the wonderful (and tidal) coastal return, which seems surprisingly wild and remote for the gentle Black Isle.
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on Mill Road, Rosemarkie village centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NH 737577
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.591657,-4.114364
🚌 Bus to Rosemarkie
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 10 km / 6 mi | ▲ 210 m | ⌛ 3-3.5 hr
Features: 🦆 RSPB Fairy Glen; 🌊 Fairy Glen waterfalls ★★★; △ Brown Hill (168 m); 🏖️ Rosemarkie Bay ★★ & coastline; 🏠 Rosemarkie ★★
⬤ Moderate | Generally good paths and minor road for inland section to Springwells. Narrower paths over Brown Hill with steep descent and some tricky routefinding to reach coastline – map required. Middle section of the coastal return is on shingle and sand (intermittent path alternative), and is submerged at high tide.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – mill pond – Fairy Glen lower & upper waterfalls – minor road to Springwells – Brown Hill – coastline to east – return by coast & Rosemarkie Bay – Rosemarkie – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Sheep, lambs, goats and horses, cows and calves in adjacent fields; yellowhammers, tits.
Weather: Mainly cloudy with some sunny spells, 17°C, moderate wind higher up.
July 2020
