Inverness Routes & Tracks

The Glen Affric Trail The Forestry Commission purchased Glen Affric in 1951. Since then, positive conservation has rescued the core of the woodland. In 1994, Glen Affric was designated a Caledonian Forest Reserve of over 9000 hectares. Further recognition of the importance of this special environment came in 2001 with the designation of Glen Affric as a National Nature Reserve. Starting at the Steading Highland Glen Lodge Bed and Breakfast, for our guest seeking relaxation, quiet and home comforts, home cooked meals and a hearty Breakfast to start the day, this is the place for you.  Offering off road parking, comfortable En-Suite bedrooms in our rural woodland setting, rich with wildlife, six miles from Drumnadrochit, in an area of outstanding natural beauty we have from our door step nature, wildlife, rambling, hillwalking, cycling and mountain biking, whisky trail, Golf, water sports, History, unspoilt beaches, Castles, the area is outstanding for the aspiring photographers and painters, and even for the experts, some must have works of art waiting to be produced.  Glen Affric, less than half an hour's drive from our front door.  Walking you have a choice of directions  Leaving the Highland Glen Lodge, from the end of the road turn right through ancient Caledonian woodlands.  Follow the road for two miles to the sign at the bottom of the road to the Corrimony RSPB Nature Reserve and the Corrimony Chambered Cairn a circle of standing stones an ancient passage grave, dating back 4,000 years. Pass the Cairn and follow the track to the top and follow the sign to the small village of Tomich a Victorian model conservation village at the western end of Strathglass, approximately 30 miles from Inverness. The Village of Tomich is part of the Guisachan Estate and was created to serve Guisachan House, which is now derelict and lies a further 1.5 miles to the west of the village and was the home of Lord and Lady Tweedmouth. The golden retriever breed was created at Tomich near Glen Affric in the 1800s Lord Tweedmouth on the Guisachan Estate. Glen Affric National Nature Reserve Trees for Life are award winning charity working to restore the native Caledonian Forest to its former glory in the Highlands Since 1989, it has planted over 1.3 million trees and has facilitated the natural regeneration of ancient forest remnants in Glen Affric, since sheep and deer where excluded the natural beech and Caledonian pine forests and the native wildlife and birds have made a remarkable come back, this is a nature lover’s paradise, you follow a footpath on the North Shore of Loch Affric to the Cnoc Fada at the head of Loch Fada. The route then continues west to the remote Alltbeithe You head west from Alltbeithe through the wonderfully named Fionngleann, soon crossing the watershed at Cnoc Biodag, before following Gleann Licht to Morvich, continue west between the hulking mass of Bheinn Fhada and the Five Sisters of Kintail to reach the sea at Shiel Bridge. Glen Shiel runs for 10 miles from Loch Duich to Glen Cluanie with impressively beautiful mountain scenery on either side. Peaks to the north include the Five Sisters of Kintail while on the other side of the glen there are such 3000 footers as the Saddle, Sgurr na Sgine, Creag nan Damh and Sgurr an Lochain. The glen, forms part of the ancient Drovers Road to the Isles. The final section of your walk will take you across the Glenelg Peninsula, past iron age brochs. Close to the small village of Glenelg are two late-Iron Age brochs known as Dun Telve and Dun Troddan. Located less than half a kilometre apart, the two structures give an excellent insight into this type of fortified homestead that is unique to Scotland. From Glenelg you can take the Kylerhea Ferry it crosses the shortest gap between Glenelg on the mainland to the Isle of Skye across the Kyle Rhea.