We have an extensive path network in our local area. There are many routes to choose from, with something for everyone. Enjoy the fresh air, the healthy exercise, the stunning scenery and the wonderful wildlife. Please be sure to follow the Scottish Outdoor Code.
A good portion of the path network is suitable for mountain bikes, but these routes are dual purpose so where the path is narrow please give way to walkers. It’s also possible to combine some of the off-road routes with the quiet back roads to make some wonderful circuits, although the gradients can be quite challenging.
Make someone aware of your plans and have appropriate clothing and footwear for the weather and the terrain. A small rucksack containing a local map, a mobile phone, some waterproofs, sun protection, a drink, a snack and a basic first aid kit is highly recommended.
The Walk Highlands website offers suggestions on short and easy or long and strenuous routes. They’re graded, have clear directions and offer a map that you can print out.
Scottish Forestry have also produced a leaflet that covers some of the routes that can be found on the local path network.
On Balmacara Estate, the National Trust for Scotland looks after and maintains more than 16 miles of the local path network. We have coastal walks through crofting land that offer stunning views of Applecross and Skye, and routes that pass through woodland, moorland and open hillside. There’s Scotland’s rainforest to explore and a coral beach to enjoy. Below are some of the highlights of our path network:
Croft and Coastline circuit
This walk passes through actively managed crofts with species-rich grasslands, alive with birdsong and butterflies. Otters can occasionally be spotted along the coast.
The majority of this route is on narrow gravel paths or minor roads, with a short grassy section that can be muddy after rain. There’s one rough section where a short scramble and a keen sense of balance are required to cross the rocky shore and ascend onto the headland.
Walk details
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Difficulty
Moderate, with one steeper section
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Time
1 hour
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Distance
1¾ miles (3km)
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Ascent
133ft (41m)
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Start
Duirinish
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Finish
Duirinish
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Step 1
(1/7)Begin at Duirinish train station, cross the level crossing and follow the road which curves down to the coast.
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Step 2
(2/7)The road swings to the left (west) at Port Bàn – a very pretty bay overlooking Loch Kishorn.
You can enjoy views towards the Bealach na Ba (Pass of the Cattle) leading to Applecross. The cove is often used for boat moorings as it is relatively sheltered from the SW prevailing winds.
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Step 3
(3/7)Continue on the road until you reach Port an Eorna (Barleyport) – a small crofting township with just 5 very small crofts.
Each crofter has a souming (grazing share) of 1 cow. This would have traditionally been a dual purpose animal, with the cow being kept for milk and her calves used for beef. The township was probably based around the fishing industry, as the crofts are so small – it would have been very difficult to eke out a living from the land alone.
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Step 4
(4/7)The path then passes across more fields, following the coastline, until you reach a viewpoint overlooking the isles of Skye and Raasay. If you look northwards, you may see the Crowlin Islands on a good day.
This is a lovely spot to take a rest and enjoy the wonderful panorama. There is the chance of spotting otters, if you are lucky, as well as various seabirds, notably shags, terns, black guillemots, gannets and various gulls. In the winter this is an excellent location to see great northern divers and Slavonian grebes.
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Step 5
(5/7)The path now heads south to reach another cove: Port Cam. This small bay with a pebble beach offers views across to a few small islands by Skye.
In 1974 there was a plan to construct floating concrete oil rigs for the North Sea in this bay. The crofters and the Trust were opposed to this development and united to fight it. A public enquiry was held and the defence was successful, with the proposed development being relocated across the waters to Kishorn. There, a working dry dock remains today where oil rigs are now refitted and decommissioned.
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Step 6
(6/7)The path continues through species-rich croft meadows – these grasslands are among the most biodiverse you will find anywhere on the mainland, rivalling the wonderful machair areas of the Uists. The land here is managed by crofters who, for generations, have employed rotational cropping, growing potatoes, turnips, oats and hay (now more typically the grass is mown for silage). The livestock are removed to the common grazings (rough hill pastures surrounding the township) from April to November, and return to graze freely among the crofts during the winter months. This transhumance system of agriculture maintains a wonderful diversity of life and keeps the poorer areas which cannot be cropped from becoming overly rank.
The area supports a rich variety of bird and insect life as well as a wonderful array of orchid species (around 9 species) and some isolated populations of globeflower.
Pause to admire the view when the golden sands of Drumbuie beach are ahead of you.
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Step 7
(7/7)Follow the path as it swings left and cross the level crossing again. Drumbuie township is now to your right – a picturesque crofting settlement that was established somewhere between 1807 and the mid-1820s. The 1807 map of the estate shows no settlement at this location, but a map from 1826 has a settlement known as ‘Newton’, now known as Drumbuie. This suggests that the township was a ‘Clearance settlement’ ie it was created when crofters were cleared off land further to the east to make way for sheep flocks.
These ‘Clearances’ were carried out widely across the Highlands and Islands, with people being moved away from their traditional homelands to the coastal fringe to allow the landlords to make money from sheep farming. In many places people were subsequently relocated overseas, especially to North America.
The croft meadows south of the level crossing are species-rich grassland, with a significant population of greater butterfly orchids, a UK priority species.
Stay on the path as it heads east back to Duirinish train station.
Lochalsh Woodland Walks
The sheltered Lochalsh woodland by the shores of Loch Alsh is where exotic and native plants come together. Bamboo, rhododendrons and ferns grow beside oak, pine and rowan. There’s a variety of routes, loops and trails within the woodland walks, which are signposted from the A87. The steep ground between the gravel paths and the main drive is linked by a series of steps offering shorter and longer circuits for the more able.
Kyle of Lochalsh to Balmacara Square
This route provides striking views over Skye and Loch Alsh and crosses through a variety of habitats that include woodland, moorland and the open hill. Although the path never climbs above 200m, it does in places have the feel of a remote upland walk. The terrain is undulating and the path can be narrow, steep, rough and rocky in places. There are options to extend the walk through to Plockton or Kirkton. With some advance planning, it’s possible to catch the train from Plockton to Kyle (or vice versa) and return by foot or on bike using the local path network.
Balmacara Square to Loch Achaidh na h-Inich
This linear route, a patchwork of moorland, loch and Celtic rainforest, takes you into the heart of the Coille Mhòr. This woodland is a classic temperate Celtic rainforest, rich and diverse in plant and lichen species. The path crosses undulating ground and in places is rather steep and narrow. This route can be turned into a circuit or combined with other routes in the path network to walk or cycle from Plockton to Kyle (or vice versa).
Coral beach
This is a short walk to a beautiful and secluded coral beach, a great location for a paddle and a picnic. The start of the route follows a croft access track, which can be muddy and wet after rain. After passing through the field gate, the gravel and stone path curves gently and continues slightly downhill, emerging at a final rocky descent to the beach itself.
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