Balintore to Rockfield

Summary

A good linear walk along the coast between the pretty seaboard villages to Rockfield. Along the way there are impressively sculpted rocks along the shore, the remains of salmon fishing stations and cliffs used by nesting seabirds. The walk can easily be extended by 1.5 km to end in Portmahomack from where a bus can be caught to return to the start (check the timetable before starting out).

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Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Grassy track following the shore, usually easy to find with only a couple of muddy spots.

Getting there

Start

Car park in Balintore near the harbour.

Public Transport

Bus to Balintore; return bus from Portmahomack.

Start Grid Ref

NH872764

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 10.25km / 6.25 miles
Time: 2.5 hours
Ascent: 120m (Profile)

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Walk Description

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Stage 1

Park in the car park on the west side of the harbour in Balintore (accessed via the lane leading off marked 'Beach'). Begin by heading northeast along Shore Street, soon passing the shop.

Stage 2

Keep an eye down to the rocky shore and you'll spot a mermaid. The 'Mermaid of the North' - a bronze sculpture by Steve Haywood, perched on the 'Clach Dubh' (Black Rock). Her tail is submerged at high tide. Continue along the front, passing through the connected village of Hilton of Cadboll. Turn left at the end of Lady Street and then immediately right to reach a kissing gate and the start of the footpath.

Stage 3

Before heading through the gate, make a short detour to see the spectacular Hilton of Cadboll carved stone - a masterpiece of Pictish sculpture. The one here is a replica, as the original is in the museum of Scotland. Back on the main route, go through the metal kissing gate and follow the grassy path straight ahead. Do not take the left hand path up the cliff but stay on the level crossing a grassy area and heading diagonally towards the sea, keeping the fence on your right. Pass a sign pointing back to the village and continue along the coast until you reach the remains of a salmon netting station where the winch that was used to haul in the nets can still be seen. Keep on the wide, grassy track as it crosses the level ground between the sea and the cliffs.

Stage 4

Soon you pass a second concrete fishing station. Eventually a metal farm gate is reached, pass through this and continue straight ahead. After a short while, pass through a gap in a dry stone wall and a third salmon bothy is reached, this one renovated and locked. After this there are some rocks that jut out into the sea that look very impressive with large waves breaking over them. Continue along the flat path as it heads a tiny way inland to avoid the rocky outcrop. Soon a fence and gate are reached, keep to the right of the fence and follow the pebbly foreshore until there is a stile on the left. Cross the stile and continue on the faint grassy track.

Stage 5

Soon the path joins another grassy track which descends from the cliff on the left. Continue straight ahead, climbing a short section where the path passes between two rocky areas. Eventually you reach a fourth salmon fishing station where a line of anchors can be seen. These would have been used to weigh down the large nets which were arranged in the water to catch the salmon moving with the tide and then the catch would be hauled in to the bothy. The path becomes fainter but keeps following the line of the shore.

Stage 6

The path keeps between the shore and the cliffs, where during the spring numerous seabirds can be seen nesting. The whole stretch of coast provides a good opportunity for spotting bottlenose dolphins, seals, and sometimes whales. The path becomes clearer and passes through patches of gorse. At a fence and gate cross the stile and continue straight ahead. After a while the houses of Rockfield come into view. Pass through a kissing gate to join the road at the far end of the village. The walk can be extended by following the road 1.5 km to Portmahomack; turn left and then right when you reach the village to walk along the shore road, from where an infrequent bus service runs back to Balintore. An alternative and much longer extension to walk right round the Tarbat Ness peninsula, also finishing at Portmahomack.

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