A pleasant, level walk with lots of interest and good picnic spots along the River Beauly. Plenty of opportunity to watch the fishing on this popular section of the wide and picturesque river. The inland return route is peaceful and particularly good for spring flowers or autumn colours.
Summary
Easy to follow paths, tracks and minor roads with no hills
Terrain
Car park on the south side of the River Beauly at Black Bridge near Kilmorack.
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1. Park in the small riverside car park just south of Black Bridge on the minor road between Kiltarlity and Kilmorack, 3 miles south west of Beauly. From the car park walk across the bridge over the River Beauly, with a view to the hydro-power station upstream. Immediately after the bridge turn right, past a gate, onto a track running parallel with the river through woodland. Ignore a track heading down to the river on the right and continue for 200 metres until the track bends round to the left and you take the smaller path straight ahead. At a small grassy, clearing in the trees keep to the main path on the right, ignoring a path to the left which is the return route. The path continues through the woodland with glimpses of the river down to the right. The path bends to the left before emerging from the wood into a grassy area with lots of gorse bushes.
2. Where the path forks, take the right hand fork and cross open land before emerging onto a track opposite Cruives Lodge. Turn left and follow the track as it runs alongside the riverbank giving good views of the weir. Follow the track until you reach a red sandstone house. Keep to the track and pass in front of the house, crossing the drive to the house, and continuing east on a track. The track curves back towards the river bank where there are often people fishing either from the bank or thigh deep in the water. Keep on the track, passing some majestic oak trees and a fishing lodge on your left. Ignore a grassy track on the right which leads to the riverside and continue on the track for another 100 metres.
3. There are good views of the red sandstone turrets of Beaufort Castle on the opposite side of the river. As the track bends to the right, almost at the river, keep an eye out for an unmarked but well walked footpath leading straight ahead through gorse on the left side of the track. Take this small path, which soon becomes clearer, and follow it through open ground and then back to the river bank where you pass through a small wooden gate.
4. The path continues along the river, passing in front of a large white house and crossing a small wooden bridge to rejoin the track. Turn right onto the track and continue through a farm gate and into Croiche Wood. In spring these woods are carpeted with bluebells providing a lovely contrast to the bright green of the new leaves on the trees. Keep to the main track, ignoring a grassy track which leads right to the river. The track eventually curves towards the river bank and passes along an extremely picturesque section of the river with a fishing lodge on the left.
5. Near the edge of the woodland the track turns sharp left away from the river. Keep straight ahead here on a small path which passes under powerlines to rejoin the track at a gate. Go through this and follow this track, passing some houses on the left, and a view of Lovat Bridge ahead, until it merges with another track from the left and continues ahead towards fir trees. When you reach the fir trees and a square stable building, turn left along a track passing to the left of a new house.
6. When the track reaches a minor road turn left and follow the minor as it skirts woodland and passes through pleasant farmland. Keep on the tarmac road ignoring two turnings to the left. After approximately 2 km, on a straight section of road, at a telegraph pole, turn right onto an, often muddy, track with woodland ahead on the right. If you reach the fish farm buildings you have gone too far along the road. The track soon becomes a path - when the path forks keep straight ahead to skirt the woodland, keeping the trees on your right, and passing some industrial plant on your left. Soon afterwards the path meets the outward route. Turn right and retrace the first section of the walk to return to Black Bridge.
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