Active Outdoors: A wander on the Black Isle to discover a loop of the hidden Loch Lundie
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Most people who venture to the Black Isle to walk use Fortrose, Rosemarkie or Cromarty as a starting point. A stroll along the beach to Cluny's Cave, ambling round Chanonry Point to catch a glimpse of dolphins, a walk through the Fairy Glen or a visit to the Sutors might be on the cards – and there's always the lure of Rosemarkie's beach café for refreshments.
But there's a lot more to this beautiful “isle” to explore, and I decided to visit a corner I hadn't been to before, with a focus on the largest body of fresh water on the peninsula.
The walk starts from a parking place, just enough to squeeze in a few cars, on the minor road leading down to Kilmuir, where a wooden signpost indicates a route uphill, through birch woodland, to Pitlundie and Munlochy Bay.
It's also part of the line of the 147-mile John O'Groats Trail, which meanders up the east coast from Inverness to the end of the road location in Caithness.
A burn flows under the road at the start here – a clue to where the walk will take us. It's the outflow from Loch Lundie, that body of water referred to earlier.
From the parking place, Rosemary and I took the woodland path to the right of a metal gate and wound our way up through the trees, with light filtering down on this glorious sunny day.
A fork is reached where we turned left, heading for the southern tip of the loch. It's a beautiful spot, with a view to the other end and the grand setting of Pitlundie House, looking particularly splendid in the sunshine. What a place to live!
We walked on along a shore path on the right side of the loch, passing a notice on a tree warning that “unauthorised fishing here is THEFT”. Two people were wild swimming in the water which, despite the sunshine, must have been decidedly chilly.
Towards the end of the loch, a steep little climb brought us to the ridge above and a path continuing north-east, which descends, crosses a track and then enters Taindore Wood. Views from the high points on this ridge stretch as far as Glen Affric, while nearer to hand are Munlochy Bay and Ben Wyvis, across the Cromarty Firth.
The path drops down to the side of a red brick wall and gates – the entrance to Taindore House, unseen along the driveway.
We turned left, initially along a track, then left again along a minor road, skirting the base of Taindore Wood.
The peace, with birdsong the only sound, was tangible. A little further on at a bend in the road, a wooden signpost marks the route uphill between fences. At the top of the slope, in woodland on the right, are the vitrified remains of a medieval fort, marked as a Dun on the map.
Carrying on past this, the route passes fields above Loch Lundie to reach a wooden gate. After this it continues downhill, looking towards wooded Ord Hill, to a stile over what is now a broken down fence.
We crossed and walked on to another stile next to a metal gate, to finish along a track leading to the gate and car park at the beginning of the route.
For a relatively short walk, this one has a lot going for it – the loch, lovely deciduous woods and extensive views. I'm very glad I discovered it.
Route details
Walk around Loch Lundie
Distance 2.5 miles / 4km
Terrain Woodland and field paths. short stretch of minor road
Start/finish Parking place on the road to Kilmuir at GR NH667498
Map OS Landranger 26; OS Explorer 432
A gentle walk round the largest body of fresh water on the Black Isle
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