Walks

Whether your walk is a wee stroll from the Steading, something a little further afield or you even want to “bag” a Munro, there’s something for everyone in the stunning Highlands of Scotland. There are some fantastic places to drive to and where you can get out and stretch your legs. Some not too far away and others where it’s more of a day trip.

There are many walks: on the beach or alongside rivers and lochs; walks in forests or up hills; walks in towns or lovely wee villages; walks in beautiful gardens and grounds of castles – all within easy reach of your holiday home in Swordale.

A very good website is Walk Highlands, which gives excellent information including the grade of walk, the distance, the topography, approximate timings, bogginess under foot, description, photos and map. Walk Highlands also has an App, as does AllTrails which covers footpaths of all the UK and beyond. Obviously, good footwear is strongly recommended for walks which are more than just strolls.

A wee stroll from the house

On the way up to the house, and you can see Swordale Hill on the right. The house is at the foot of this hill.

A short walk up the road. You can sit here and take in the views, with the Cromarty Firth in the distance

Another photo of the lovely road walk, heading back to the house.

And this is after a bit of snow, heading away from the house.

Walks from Swordale and Evanton

From the house there are a few walks you can do. These include a walk around Swordale Hill, which is behind the house, also a walk to the Black Rock Gorge (as seen in Harry Potter) and Evanton Woods. There is a more official walk for the latter that starts in the village.

Also from the village you can do the Kiltearn Church Circuit Walk, which takes you down to the banks of the Cromarty Firth.

Above Evanton you can see the Fyrish Monument, and although it’s a bit of an uphill slog, the views from the top are really worth the effort. You can get to the start point a few miles out of the village.

View of the oil rigs in the Cromarty Firth, taken from Swordale Hill — Swordale Hill Walk (Steve Moore)

Ruined building on the shores of the Cromarty Firth, on the Kilearn Circuit Walk — Kiltearn Circuit Walk (Ela Hamer)

A lovely photograph of the walk through Evanton woods — Evanton Woods (Julian Paren)

Bridge over the Black Rock Gorge, in the Evanton Woods — Black Rock Gorge (Richard Dorrell)

View of the Fyrish monument taken from the top of Fyrish hill, with views of the Cromarty Firth — Fyrish Monument (Flickr)

A little further afield

Beautiful photograph of the walk with the tall trees at Reelig Glen — Reelig Glen

Oil rig in the Cromarty Firth with a wee cairn in the foreground — Oil Rigs in the Cromarty Firth (Claire Lancaster)

Oil rigs parked up in the Cromarty Firth in the daytime — Oil Rigs in the Cromarty Firth (Pixabay)

View of the Glenfinnan viaduct with a steam train going over it — Glenfinnan Viaduct (Flickr)

The Glenfinnan Monument by Loch Shiel — Glenfinnan Monument (Pixabay)

View of walkers descending Knock Farril hill, near Dingwall — Knockfarrel Hill (Ela Hamer)

Pam at the top of Knock Farril, near Dingwall — Knockfarrel Hill (Ela Hamer)

The waterfall at the end of the Fairy Glen walk in Rosemarkie — Fairy Glen Waterfall in Rosemarkie (Flickr)

View of Loch Ness from the shore line on a lovely sunny day — Loch Ness

Entrances to the Inchnadamph bone caves — Bone Caves at Inchnadamph (wikimedia)

Photograph of a tree on the walk at Dog Falls — Dog Falls Walk

Waterfall at Dog Falls in Glen Affric — Dog Falls in Glen Affric (wikimedia)

View of the Beauly Firth from the Struie Road, with a rainbow — View of the Beauly Firth on the Struie Road (Steve Moore)

View of the waterfall at Dores — Waterfall at Dores

View of Smoo Cave from the top of the hill before walking down the hill — Smoo Cave (N Chadwick)

Bruar Falls with a bridge to cross over the gorge — Bruar Falls - Jim Barton

A few of our favourites not too far away are: Invergordon and Nigg where you can see oil rigs in the Cromarty Firth; A scenic drive along The Struie road and take in spectacular views of the Beauly Firth; Rogie Falls and Shin Falls – two of the best places in Scotland to see salmon leaping; Knockfarrel hill where there is a vitrified pictish Iron Age fort;

Also not to be missed: Reelig Glen – a lovely walk through an ancient woodland of tall trees; Rosemarkie’s Fairy Glen with a waterfall at the far end. Talking about waterfalls, two other favourites are: Dores on the eastern side of Loch Ness and another at Dog Falls in the wonderful Glen Affric.

It would need a day trip to see: to the south west are the Glenfinnan viaduct (as seen in Harry Potter) and monument; Smoo cave on the north coast; the Bone Caves at Inchnadamph to the north west; and last but definitely not least Bruar Falls to the south on the A9.

Our nearest Munro - Ben Wyvis

As you go over the Cromarty Bridge, you will see the imposing Ben Wyvis ahead of you. The house is actually in the foothills of this Munro, and although a tidy distance, people have been know to walk there from Swordale. A better way though would be to do as Walk Highlands suggests. For more information on

For more information about hillwalking and Munros, Visit Scotland have a good website, as do Mountaineering Scotland and Walk Highlands. They explain what a Munro is, where they can be found, which ones are harder than others and what “Munro Bagging” is.

The websites also give very good information about footwear, clothing, equipment, weather, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and generally staying safe while walking in the hills.