John o'Groats Trail: Alness to Tain

Summary

The third stage of the John o'Groats trail initial follows minor roads from Alness through the pleasant countryside of Easter Ross. There are a couple of sections through forestry with occasional wide views before the final descent to the fine old town of Tain.

Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Mostly minor roads and forest tracks; some sections can be muddy underfoot, especially one short stretch in the forest beyond Stoneyfield.

Getting there

Start

Alness.

Public Transport

Alness and Tain both have bus and train links.

Start Grid Ref

NH654696

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 21.5km / 13.25 miles
Time: 5 - 6 hours
Ascent: 280m (Profile)

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Explorer 438 - Dornoch

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Walk Description

User reports (4)

Stage 1

Starting from the bridge over the River Aveyron, head east briefly along the High Street, then turn left up Ardross Road. Keep straight along this road heading out of town; there is a pavement on the right hand side as far as the end of speed restriction signs. After around 1km, turn right onto a road signed for Scotsburn and Tain. The route now follows this quiet minor road for several kilometres. Ignore a first turning on the left, but take the second left, again signed for Scotsburn and Tain. Ignore another turning on the left (for Culcairn).

Stage 2

After some time ignore another turning on the right (Tomich A9 and Invergordon), keeping straight on, and finally ignore another turning on the left (Ardross). Shortly after this last junction, leave the road by turning right onto a tarred lane for Easter Stoneyfield (look out for the small JOGT marker in the tree). Pass a house to your left and just before the next house turn left across grass to follow, an initially overgrown, path behind the house and through the woods. Keep left at a waymarked path junction and soon the path becomes an old track. Continue ahead through the trees for over 1.5km, passing a small pond on your left; the going becomes briefly very boggy - waterlogged at times, you may have to detour into the trees to keep dry feet.

Stage 3

Eventually the track swings left and then right past a locked gate to reach a minor road; turn left along this road. Soon this reaches a T-junction; turn right here (signed Tain 6.5 miles). Continue along the road for 1.5km until the entrance to Scotsburn Farm on the left - turn left up this track. At a fork bear right, then go through (or over) the double gates on your left into a yard alongside an old barn with a waterwheel. Pass through the yard to reach another gate into the woods, and an old overgrown grassy track/path up through the trees. Eventually this path leads up to a T-junction; turn right here.

Stage 4

A short distance further the clear path reaches a pedestrian gate; do not pass through, instead turning left before it to follow another path uphill. Eventually this reaches an initially muddy track. Turn right along this; after a turning area it becomes a hard forestry track. Keep straight ahead along this; there are open views in places towards Cromarty and looking back towards the distant Strathfarrar hills. When the track forks take the left branch, slightly uphill. Ignore tracks off on either side, eventually reaching a wide main junction of tracks.

Stage 5

Continue ahead, and after almost a kilometre go straight across a path (the 'Aldie Burn' forestry car park is to the right here) to reach a T-junction and turn left. Cross a burn and follow the track round to the right. Turn right at the next junction and soon the track narrows to a path, passing a gate on your left and the back of a house on your right and soon emerging on the tarmac Scotsburn Road again. Turn left and continue for over 2km towards Tain passing the former Easter Ross Union Poor House on your left.

Stage 6

Just before the A9 turn left following Cycle Route 1 markers until an underpass on the right to go under the A9. Turn right at the road and take the 2nd left. Continue downhill into the centre of Tain, where the stage ends at the Royal Tain Hotel.

Next stage: Tain to Dornoch

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