Horseshoe Crag - Loch Ness 300m Descent
Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 9:18 amThis was my 2nd attempt to reach the horseshoe crag on foot. The 1st time was many years ago and unsuccessful as it was hard to locate over complex terrain. I had reached an area of dangerous ground above the horseshoe with no obvious way down and cliff edges obscured by thick heather so decided to give up. In the years inbetween I thought about it occasionally but never found anyone daft enough to come with me, until last Saturday when Colin agreed to come.
We decided on a route starting from Loch Tarff, skirting round the loch to the far side following a wall and fenceline and then a gully down to the shore of Loch Ness and then following the shoreline to the horseshoe.
that was the plan anyway
This was the actual route we took
The above route is one way, we returned by a slightly different and slightly easier way.
This is the starting point on the new road and parking area at Loch Tarff.
The weather was better than forecast as the three of us set off, myself, Colin and Maya the dog.
Loch Tarff and the snow capped Loch Lochy hills.
All was going well as we started the descent into the gorge
The research for the rest of the walk was sketchy, there are no walk reports, guide books or photos I could find for this area. But we had a waterproof 1:25k map, compass and a good supply of madness
What could possibly go wrong
The descent into the unknown
We dropped deeper into the gully. Small cascades and bigger waterfalls negotiated as best as possible. I wondered how long since anyone had set foot in here. A real feeling of remoteness.
As we go down Loch Ness comes in to view.
Colin checking out the next drop on the journey
We then came to a point where the stream went over a big vertical drop. The dog wasn't going to make it past, or me for that matter
With the walls of the gorge towering above us there was an option to scramble out on the right. We made our way up a steep slope with good heathery holds . Hard going made harder by the thought there may be no way out this way 
Soon the slope eased we were out of the gorge and started heading downhill towards Loch Ness. Close to the loch now we had to pick our way through more crags not shown on the map.
At last on the shore of Loch Ness
The water was like a painting
Now about a half k from the horseshoe we had anticipated that a leisurely stroll along the shoreline might not be an option. A suggestion had been made we could walk through the loch alongside the shore to avoid the vegetation and crags , unfortunately one step in to the water would have meant us fully submerged. There was no real dramas on the walk to the horseshoe, a steep traverse above some shoreline crags just before it and we were there 
The pictures above and below show the same scree slope
An impressive place
This is it. A photo taken earlier from a layby on the A82 on the other side of the loch
On a nice day like today Loch Ness is a busy place with many canoes, Yachts, fishing boats and pleasure cruisers. Its very rarely this calm and many Kayakers have got in trouble in this area
By now we are all burnt out scraped and bruised
That's me trying to thumb a lift to the bothy bar in Fort Augustus. Where's all the boats gone
Unlike most days in the hills the return to the car is all uphill.
Wild goats
Geese at Loch Tarff
The horseshoe crag is a great place to visit but hard work. Probably easier to paddle across Loch Ness on a canoe if you don't mind 700ft of water below you Next time I visit think i'll take one of the cruises from Fort Augustus 
We decided on a route starting from Loch Tarff, skirting round the loch to the far side following a wall and fenceline and then a gully down to the shore of Loch Ness and then following the shoreline to the horseshoe.
that was the plan anyway
This was the actual route we took
The above route is one way, we returned by a slightly different and slightly easier way.
This is the starting point on the new road and parking area at Loch Tarff.
The weather was better than forecast as the three of us set off, myself, Colin and Maya the dog.
Loch Tarff and the snow capped Loch Lochy hills.
All was going well as we started the descent into the gorge
The research for the rest of the walk was sketchy, there are no walk reports, guide books or photos I could find for this area. But we had a waterproof 1:25k map, compass and a good supply of madness
What could possibly go wrong
The descent into the unknown
We dropped deeper into the gully. Small cascades and bigger waterfalls negotiated as best as possible. I wondered how long since anyone had set foot in here. A real feeling of remoteness.
As we go down Loch Ness comes in to view.
Colin checking out the next drop on the journey
We then came to a point where the stream went over a big vertical drop. The dog wasn't going to make it past, or me for that matter
With the walls of the gorge towering above us there was an option to scramble out on the right. We made our way up a steep slope with good heathery holds . Hard going made harder by the thought there may be no way out this way Soon the slope eased we were out of the gorge and started heading downhill towards Loch Ness. Close to the loch now we had to pick our way through more crags not shown on the map.At last on the shore of Loch Ness
The water was like a painting
Now about a half k from the horseshoe we had anticipated that a leisurely stroll along the shoreline might not be an option. A suggestion had been made we could walk through the loch alongside the shore to avoid the vegetation and crags
, unfortunately one step in to the water would have meant us fully submerged. There was no real dramas on the walk to the horseshoe, a steep traverse above some shoreline crags just before it and we were there 
The pictures above and below show the same scree slope
An impressive place
This is it. A photo taken earlier from a layby on the A82 on the other side of the loch
On a nice day like today Loch Ness is a busy place with many canoes, Yachts, fishing boats and pleasure cruisers. Its very rarely this calm and many Kayakers have got in trouble in this area
By now we are all burnt out scraped and bruised
That's me trying to thumb a lift to the bothy bar in Fort Augustus. Where's all the boats gone
Unlike most days in the hills the return to the car is all uphill.
Wild goats
Geese at Loch Tarff
The horseshoe crag is a great place to visit but hard work. Probably easier to paddle across Loch Ness on a canoe if you don't mind 700ft of water below you
Next time I visit think i'll take one of the cruises from Fort Augustus