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, can be muddy in places, minor roads.
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 300 metres until a crossroads - there is a footpath sign on a lamp post here for Craigmonie and Balmacaan. Turn right and follow Pitkerrald Road for another 200m where the road forks. Take the left hand track (signed for Craigmonie Woodland walks) which climbs gently uphill with woodland on the right. Follow the track past a house and keep straight ahead until the edge of the woods where there are two giant redwood trees, with a dilapidated information board up on the right. Leave the track by heading up to the right here past the board, following an earth path into the woods. This soon forks - take the narrower, right hand branch.
2. The path soon joins a larger one coming in from the left; continue ahead, following the green and red waymarkers. The path levels off and gives glimpses of Loch Ness through the silver birch trees. When the path forks take the right hand path (green waymakers) 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 spot red squirrels; pine martens are rarer but also resident in the area. Keep to the level path, ignoring a track to the left. After crossing a small bridge the path swings left uphill, climbing fairly steeply to pass the Milton viewpoint, where there are seats and an information board on the left. The hamlet of Milton was named after its mills in the 1800s; these produced, amongst other things, the Glen Urquhart black and white check tweed.
3. From the viewpoint continue uphill until you reach a crossroads of paths. Go straight across here, still following the green waymarkers. At the next junction turn right onto the red route, then fork left (red waymarker) onto a path that climbs to the top of Craigmonie crag. The crag is now a lovely viewpoint with a seat overlooking Drumnadrochit and Loch Ness. 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. Fork right off the main red waymarked route, descending to join another path which runs along the inside edge of the woodland.
4. Keep the fence and fields on your right as you continue through the woods, ignoring 2 paths off to the left. At another junction bear right to pass some old waterworks. Do not cross the stile but instead continue following the path on the left side of the fence as it undulates through the woods. Eventually a track is reached - go straight across this, continuing along the inside edge of the woods. When a fork is reached bear left and until you reach a gateway between a house and a water tank. Go left along the track briefly and then right when it meets another track. At another junction, follow the track round to the left to drop down to meet the tarmac minor road. Turn right along the road next to the River Coiltie. Follow this road over a bridge and then zig-zagging steeply uphill. Go right at a junction, with fine views looking out towards Drumnadrochit on the right.
5. Continue until you reach the small car park for the Falls of Divach. A signed path off to the right descends through the woods to reach a fenced viewpoint for the falls. To return, go all the way back along the road, eventually reaching the first houses of Drumnadrochit.
6. At a junction with the 30mph sign turn right; the road then soon swings left and continues past some attractive cottages in Lewiston. A sign for Drumnadrochit indicates where to turn left onto a track, then take a fenced path on the right. 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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