Skelbo is a commercial forest plantation; this waymarked walk around it runs along the edge in places to give more open views towards Ben Bhraggie. There are small wooden sculptures of forest creatures along the trail.
Summary
Waymarked forest path throughout; some steps.
Terrain
Users'
rating
1. The Skelbo Forestry car park is on a minor road just off the A9 and is signed. The walk itself is well waymarked with green marker posts. Begin from the large pond and follow the signed trail to a junction. Continue straight ahead until the path reaches a large forest track. Briefly turn left along this before turning right when the path branches off once more. It now descends gently, with a wide zig-zag at one point.
2. A short distance further on the path reaches a seat with a view out of the northern end of the forest. From here the route descends a steep flight of steps and crosses the burn on a footbridge. On the far side the walk continues to the right, keeping to the fairly open ground between the burn and a great drystone wall that encloses the pastureland on the left. Pass a squirrel sculpture and ignore a small path off to the right, staying on the main path until it reaches a second bridge.
3. Cross back over the burn; there is a sculpture of a frog here. The path then climbs back into the forestry, passing a couple more sculptures. Just before it returns to the wide forest track, look to the left to see the outline of an iron-age broch. 2,000 years ago this would have provided a defensive refuge for a family between a double curtain wall, but little remains today; a much better preserved example can be seen just off the A9 between Golspie and Brora to the north. Head straight across the track onto another track opposite, and follow this until it almost reaches the minor road at the edge of the forest. Just before this, turn right onto a waymarked path; this leads back to the car park.
Have you found an error or is any information wrong or missing?
Please let us know by using the error report form.
