This route enjoys great views from the hilltop of Craig Mony above Drumnadrochit and Loch Ness and then visits the spectacular Divach Falls.
Summary
Waymarked forest footpaths or minor roads throughout.
Terrain
Tourist information car park, Drumnadrochit
[Map of start point, satnav coords and directions]
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1. Park at the car park in the centre of Drumnadrochit where the Tourist Information and toilets are. Turn right out of the car park and follow the main road for approximately 100 metres until a crossroads - there is a footpath sign on a lampost for Craigmonie and Balmacaan. Turn right and follow this road for another 100 metres. The road forks, take the left hand track which climbs gently uphill with woodland on the right.
2. Follow the track past a house and large redwood tree on your left, shortly before a sign welcoming you to Craigmonie. Keep straight ahead on this track until the edge of the woods where another larger redwood tree stands on the right, with an information board below. Turn right here and head uphill on the bare earth path. This walk follows the red marked trail to begin with and there are regular posts with information about the trees and wildlife. However some of the red bands on the posts are hard to make out and some of the posts are missing so keep a carefully eye out for the main route. Continue following the red markers as the path flattens and gives good views of Loch Ness through silver birch trees. When the path forks take the right hand path heading slightly downhill. The path follows the side of Glen Urquhart, giving views of the houses at Easter Milton and Allanmore. You may hear woodpeckers and there have been reports of red squirrel and pine marten sightings in the woods here.
3. Keep to the level path, ignoring a track to the left. Cross a couple of small bridges and then head fairly steeply uphill to the Milton viewpoint with a seat and information board. Here you can see Milton named after several mills that were there in the 1800s, producing, amongst other things, the Glen Urquhart black and white check tweed. From the viewpoint continue uphill until you reach a crossroads. Go straight across into pinewood. At the next junction turn right off the red route and onto the track heading uphill. After a couple of minutes turn left onto a path heading to Craigmonie crag.
4. The crag is now a lovely viewpoint with a seat. It was once an iron age fort and is named after a viking prince who retreated there after a battle. It was also an old execution site. Continue past the seat and onto an undulating path past huge boulders and scots pine. Ignore the red marked path to the left and continue downhill to the edge of the woodland. Continue ignoring 2 paths to the left and climbing up to some old waterworks and a stile. Do not cross the stile but continue following the path on the left side of the fence as it undulates through beech woods, crossing a track at one point.
5. The path forks, take the left fork and continue until you reach a gate between a house and waterworks building. Go through the gate and across the track onto a small path which soon meets another track. Turn right and continue until you meet the road. Turn right along the road next to the River Coiltie. Follow this road over a bridge and uphill until you reach the small car park for the Falls of Divach. A signed path takes you to the falls viewpoint.
6. To return, go back along the road, past the first houses of Drumnadrochit. Immediately after Tramps B&B turn right following the footpath sign. Follow the road past some lovely cottages in Lewiston until a sign for Drumnadrochit directs you left up a track then onto a path. The path turns right and follows the edge of a field back to the main road. At the road turn left and return to the car park.
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Loch Ness Hotels
Drumnadrochit
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Foyers B&B
Fort Augustus
cottages
Dores / Foyers
cottages
Loch Ness hostels
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