Balblair Forest is on the hill slopes to the east of the Kyle of Sutherland; this forestry circuit offers some mixed woodland and climbs to a mast for views across the Kyle to Carbisdale Castle and down the Dornoch Firth.
Forest paths and tracks throughout.
None to start.
Balblair Forestry car park.
The car park is signed from road, and is the start point for mountain bike trails as well as this route. There are two levels to the car park, with a picnic table off between them. The walk begins from the lower end of the car park, following a steep path - waymarked in green - which climbs up into the trees. The fine Scots pine trees here, together with the larches - beautiful when in autumn colours - and spruces, were planted in 1931.
At the fork, keep right, leaving the waymarked walk which is very short. The path soon passes an attractive forest lochan which can be visited on a wooden deck. Continue on the path until it reaches a forest track; turn right here.
The track runs through a more open area, and then through denser spruces; ignore the turning on the left which is the start of mountain bike route descent. The track continues to climb gently until it reaches a junction. Follow the main track round to the left here. Continue along the track for almost a kilometre to a fork. The left route is marked for the car park and is the return route, but our route includes an ascent to a mast near the top of the forest. To make this ascent, keep ahead - marked as part of the ascent for the mountain bike routes.
A fork is reached almost immediately; the mountain bike trails bear left, but our route keeps right, descending very slightly. The track then climbs very steadily through the trees towards the mast. The regimented plantation is left behind near the top, where there is naturally regenerating pinewood. The view even from here is impeded by trees - to get the best view over the Kyle of Sutherland you'd need to make a further boggy detour from the route up to Sithean Mor. After visiting, retrace your steps back down the track, past the fork, to return to the junction visited earlier; this time go right for the car park.
The track undulates a little, and after 250m a branch footpath on the left is a short detour to visit a picnic table in a clearing, though the formerly great views have become impeded by the trees. Return to the track and continue along it.
Return to the track and continue along it, now heading downhill. Ignore another mountain bike track coming in from the left. At a t-junction on the edge of the trees, turn left; there are great views over the Kyle from here. Another mountain bike trail soon leaves to the right whilst the short waymarked walk rejoins from the left. Continue straight ahead, eventually returning to the top level of the car park.
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