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I was home alone on Monday the 22nd, with my second half busy driving... Having finished all my domestic duties, I couldn't resist going out for a short stroll with Kevin's camera - usually on the hills he is the one who plays with the stuff
The day was cold but ohh so lovely and I walked the route which I regularly use for jogging. Obviously, carrying the bulky camera with me meant I had to walk rather than run this time, but I didn't mind it at all.
The hills above Beauly may not be the highest peaks to climb, but there is a lot to explore here. The following route is a great low level circuit, just what one needs on their doorstep
There's no place like home, I should say...
Route:
My version is slightly longer than the WH description, but even when walking from the village, this circuit shouldn't take longer than 2 hours (my jogging time is 45-50 min). It's on a good tracks/tarmac roads all the time and the river views are lovely.
But before I reached the river, the first mile was walked on the pavement by A862 - not the most scenic route, especially when the traffic is dense, but with some good views to the surrounding fields...
On the northern side, the hills of Beauly:
A glimpse back to the village:
I always liked autumn as the best time for photographing - all the colours of the rainbow...
I stopped for a while to greet the locals...
...but I was also eager to leave the busy road behind and dive into the quiet countryside. The next stop - Lovat Bridge:
I crossed the road just before the bridge and walked on a track past a couple of houses. Now I was on the best part of this circuit, along the River Beauly.
Lovat Bridge from the south:
The river was definitely in spate:
The track follows the river - it's a private road but accessible to walkers:
The river splits and for a short distance I walked through the woods, with the narrow canal to the left:
Soon I was back in the open:
Looking back:
Sometimes when jogging I meet dog walkers on this track, but today I was completely alone, with the blue sky and the quiet autumnal landscape around...
The track continues to a gate, which is chained, but not locked. Sometimes, when I can't be bothered to untangle the chain, I simply climb over it
From this spot, one can see the nearest Corbett, Beinn a' Bha'ach Ard:
The track into the forest:
There is even a place for picnic!
...with lovely views towards the river:
The walk continues...
Additional attractions:
This part of the river is also a popular fishing spot, with "pools" created for fish to hang about
All the colours of the fall...
I continued along the river as long as I could but eventually I came across an obvious obstacle, which I wasn't ready to dive in
Definitely in spate...
I turned off the river path and picked a forest track:
After a short distance, I emerged from the woods and was greeted by more local tenants:
A great spot for cow watching
The walk goes on on a slightly boggy track. A few times before, during my jogging sessions, I had come across cows grazing on the track, but today they were all on the fenced off pasture and no manoeuvring was necessary:
A second gate, I use this one sometimes for stretching exercises
One can continue the stroll along the river past this house, but I stayed on my usual route:
A glimpse back:
One last view of the river:
The hills of Beauly in the 50 shades of the fall...
The track is still a bit wet and especially after heavy rain it can be muddy:
Looking east across the fields:
Wild roses in fruit. My dad used to collect them for homemade wine, a long time ago when I was officially too young to drink alcohol... And the wine was yummy
I turned NE on a tarmac road - the rest of the circuit is on a dry surface:
Photographing pylons may not be the most ambitious task... They spoil the views, all right, but what would we do without electricity?
But sometimes, I must admit, they are an interesting addition to the landscape:
Bird cherries in fruit and some more childhood memories. These little berries aren't particularly tasty when eaten raw (bitter
) but when made into high juice they are a fantastic addition to your hot cup of tea... or a pint of beer if you like it with a sweet touch
Autumnal fields on the way back:
Before returning home I took a short detour to the war memorial:
In about two hours I was back in my kitchen cooking dinner... Sure there's no place like home - and I can highly recommend this walk.
If you don't want to walk from the village, there is space for a few cars below the war memorial. Now excuse me, time to put my running shoes on! Meow!