Loch Ness 360 now complete
Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 8:26 pmHaving done the Great Glen Way and South Loch Ness Trail there was only the section between Torbreck and the castle to complete the Loch Ness 360. It also fitted with Nicola Sturgeon's restriction of driving no further than 5 miles for exercise, when almost everything we want to do means driving further than that. Desperately hoping this very short distance will be increased soon!
Parking at Torbreck seems to happen in passing places on narrow road so we decided to park by the Ness Islands and do a circuit from there.
When no one was coming we crossed the bridge (as per instructions)
Island art
We took a right turn from the islands on to Island Bank Road and walked in the direction of Dores. On the left side of the road as we approached the roundabout there was a tree with red blossom which I think was a Red Horse Chestnut. I'd not noticed it before. You see so much more walking than you do driving.
Red Horse Chestnut
At the roundabout we could have followed the Dores Road as far as the left turn for Torbreck but there's not much of a verge and it's a busy road so we followed the ring road uphill until we came to a turn into the Holm Dell area of housing. We had passed a path lower down which might have worked, but it looked overgrown so we stuck to the road. This took us to a path along Holm Burn which led to the road for Torbreck where we turned right.
Not sure what this once was but that wall looks pretty old
When we reached the woods it was a choice of lunch there or wait till we reached the castle. The woods won.
Lunch stop in Torbreck woods
Hunger satisfied we retraced our steps to the road and back to Torbreck.
South Loch Ness Trail nearing its end
Torbreck road
We followed the route into town and once on Island Bank Road turned left on to the islands.
Wrought iron bridge on islands
After all the street walking on lead I let Keira off and she went straight into the river which is shallow at this point.
River Ness looking over to Bught Park
Route instructions say to turn up here
Inverness Castle
You don't often see it like this, without vehicles parked outside or tourists taking photos.
Plaque for end of Great Glen Way
When we finished the Great Glen Way we were under the impression the end point was the war memorial so never saw this. Well we've seen it now.
West side of Inverness from castle
When I was a young child visiting my Inverness grandparents I envied Flora MacDonald for her faithful dog. Little did I know I'd be back in this place all these years later with my own faithful hound.
Keira (M's pic)
That was the Loch Ness 360 complete but we still had to get back to the cars. This time we followed the road round Ness Bank Church and paid our respects to the 'Three Graces', Faith, Hope and Charity. They previously stood on the roof of the building at the junction of High Street and Castle Street but were removed when it was rebuilt. Since then they spent most of their time in Orkney, until the Highland Council was able to reclaim them and bring them home to where they now stand.
Three Graces
Outside Ness Bank Church
We crossed the Infirmary Bridge
View back to the castle
Walking the Loch Ness 360 in one go would have given a greater sense of achievement, but with most of the route already in the can we couldn't resist finishing it - and it was nice to get a tick for one of our local lockdown walks!
Parking at Torbreck seems to happen in passing places on narrow road so we decided to park by the Ness Islands and do a circuit from there.
When no one was coming we crossed the bridge (as per instructions)
Island art
We took a right turn from the islands on to Island Bank Road and walked in the direction of Dores. On the left side of the road as we approached the roundabout there was a tree with red blossom which I think was a Red Horse Chestnut. I'd not noticed it before. You see so much more walking than you do driving.
Red Horse Chestnut
At the roundabout we could have followed the Dores Road as far as the left turn for Torbreck but there's not much of a verge and it's a busy road so we followed the ring road uphill until we came to a turn into the Holm Dell area of housing. We had passed a path lower down which might have worked, but it looked overgrown so we stuck to the road. This took us to a path along Holm Burn which led to the road for Torbreck where we turned right.
Not sure what this once was but that wall looks pretty old
When we reached the woods it was a choice of lunch there or wait till we reached the castle. The woods won.
Lunch stop in Torbreck woods
Hunger satisfied we retraced our steps to the road and back to Torbreck.
South Loch Ness Trail nearing its end
Torbreck road
We followed the route into town and once on Island Bank Road turned left on to the islands.
Wrought iron bridge on islands
After all the street walking on lead I let Keira off and she went straight into the river which is shallow at this point.
River Ness looking over to Bught Park
Route instructions say to turn up here
Inverness Castle
You don't often see it like this, without vehicles parked outside or tourists taking photos.
Plaque for end of Great Glen Way
When we finished the Great Glen Way we were under the impression the end point was the war memorial so never saw this. Well we've seen it now.
West side of Inverness from castle
When I was a young child visiting my Inverness grandparents I envied Flora MacDonald for her faithful dog. Little did I know I'd be back in this place all these years later with my own faithful hound.
Keira (M's pic)
That was the Loch Ness 360 complete but we still had to get back to the cars. This time we followed the road round Ness Bank Church and paid our respects to the 'Three Graces', Faith, Hope and Charity. They previously stood on the roof of the building at the junction of High Street and Castle Street but were removed when it was rebuilt. Since then they spent most of their time in Orkney, until the Highland Council was able to reclaim them and bring them home to where they now stand.
Three Graces
Outside Ness Bank Church
We crossed the Infirmary Bridge
View back to the castle
Walking the Loch Ness 360 in one go would have given a greater sense of achievement, but with most of the route already in the can we couldn't resist finishing it - and it was nice to get a tick for one of our local lockdown walks!
