Loch Ness 360° Trail

Tag: invermoriston

Visiting Invermoriston Bridge
On your journey around Loch Ness, you’ll see many amazing sights. From mountains and waterfalls to wild animals and water monsters (well, maybe!). But what really makes a holiday special is seeing the smaller details in an area. The parts that most people would drive past without a second thought. The little village of Invermoriston is such a place. It’s certainly worth stopping here for a rest stop, but also to see Invermoriston Bridge and, at the right time of year, salmon leaping in the water below.

Visiting Invermoriston

Invermoriston is to the western edge of Loch Ness, just a few miles away from Fort Augustus. It’s a place to stop on your travels and visit a cafe, buy some gifts and enjoy being in the Highlands. But stay a bit longer and you can explore a bit of Highland history, and maybe see some amazing natural sights too.

Just down from the car park is a path that leads towards Invermoriston Bridge. This was built in 1813 by the famed Scottish engineer Thomas Telford. Telford is known throughout the world for his engineering work. These include building the Caledonian Canal in the Highlands, the Gotha Canal in Sweden and the Menai Straits Suspension Bridge in Wales.

One of his biggest jobs, which he worked on for twenty years from 1804, was the design of the Parliamentary Highland Roads. These were upgrades to the road network in Scotland. However he was tasked with designing completely new roads around Loch Ness. He began building bridges along the west shore as he wanted to join up all the small communities along the way. This meant he had to design bridges to span all the rivers there. In all, nearly a thousand bridges were built as part of the plan to improve Highland roads.
Bridge construction

The Telford Bridge at Invermoriston began construction in 1805 but wasn’t opened until 1813. This has been blamed on ‘idle workers’ and a ‘languid and inattentive contractor’ – no sugar coating there! The delay resulted in a loss of £2,000 for Sir John Campbell of Ardnamurchan, the Guarantor. This amounts to around £140,000 in today’s money.

The bridge has two stone arches, meeting in the middle of the river on a large rocky outcrop. This design has ensured the bridge has lasted well, and copes in times of flood. You can walk across the bridge (although it’s a bit damaged at one end) and really take in the views.

Salmon leaping in Scotland

Watching salmon leap is a wonderful experience. It’s even better from atop a bridge! Salmon will leap up the river towards the end of October, as they swim back to their spawning grounds. Your best chance to see them tends to be in early morning or early evening. If you like photography, then get your camera ready. But you’ll need to be quick – they are fast!

Visiting Invermoriston

Invermoriston is just off the A887 before it meets with the A82. It’s just a short walk from the cafe and shops to Invermoriston Bridge, and it’s a great area to sit awhile and perhaps eat your lunch. After that, you can explore the stunning area and river. If you are looking for a perfect stop-off point on your journey around Loch Ness, then this is it. You will pass Invermoriston on the Loch Ness 360° trail, specifically in Section Three.
August 27, 2020
Highland Villages on the LN360° Trail

Villages to visit around Loch Ness

The Loch Ness 360° Trail is a full circuit route around the vast expanse of water that is Loch Ness. Covering some 80 miles, it passes through many interesting places. While exploring the trail, be sure to stop off at one of these Loch Ness villages. Enjoy the scenery, grab a bite to eat and take in some local history …

Abriachan

Found in Section One of the Loch Ness 360° Trail.

Abriachan is a tiny village on the north side of Loch Ness, along the Great Glen Way. Here, you’ll find Abriachan Nurseries and Garden, where you can enjoy woodland walks in the tranquil gardens, or visit the nursery, where you can buy from a huge range of plants. There are also many nearby woodland and moorland walks laid out by the Abriachan Forest Trust. There are a number of different trails to explore, from short strolls to longer hikes.

Drumnadrochit

The end point for Section One and starting point for Section Two of the Loch Ness 360° Trail.

Drumnadrochit sits on the north side of Loch Ness, along the Great Glen Way. Famous for its links with the Loch Ness Monster, attractions include Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition, Nessieland and Urquhart Castle. The village green has tourist shops, pubs, cafes and good local facilities. Nearby hill Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh is a great local climb with stunning views on a clear day.

Invermoriston

The end point for Section Two and starting point for Section Three of the Loch Ness 360° Trail.

Invermoriston is a small village on the north side of Loch Ness, along the Great Glen Way. The Invermoriston Falls and Thomas Telford’s Bridge are popular attractions. There are also a few shops and cafes. Climb to the top of Sròn Na Muic for spectacular views of Loch Ness.

Fort Augustus

The end point for Section Three and starting point for Section Four of the Loch Ness 360° Trail.

Fort Augustus lies at the bottom of Loch Ness, where the Great Glen Way and South Loch Ness Trail meet. A busy little village on the Caledonian Canal with lots of tourist shops and places to eat and drink. Many people enjoy watching the boats coming through the locks on the canal from here.

Whitebridge

Found in Section Four of the Loch Ness 360° Trail.

Whitebridge is a very small village on the south side of Loch Ness, along the South Loch Ness Trail. There is a hotel with bar and restaurant. The main attraction here is the Wade Bridge, an 18^th century bridge which forms part of a series of military roads, constructed under the direction of General George Wade.

Foyers

The end point for Section Four and starting point for Section Five of the Loch Ness 360° Trail.

Foyers is a small village on the south side of Loch Ness, along the South Loch Ness Trail. Visit here for the Fall of Foyers, a magnificent waterfall near the shores of Loch Ness. There is a café and shop here too.

Dores

The end point for Section Five and starting point for Section Six of the Loch Ness 360° Trail.

Dores is a tiny village on the south side of Loch Ness, along the South Loch Ness Trail. Popular for Beach Walks with great views of the loch. Local pub, The Dores Inn offers refreshments and homecooked meals.

February 27, 2020
Loch Ness 360˚ Trail and Inverness Mountain Biking

Touring Loch Ness and Inverness mountain biking is a thrilling way to see the area. See more in a day than walking, and visit areas you can’t reach by car. Up hills and along forest paths, it’s a thrilling ride that takes you along the loch’s banks and through beautiful Highland towns and villages.

The Loch Ness 360˚ trail is one of the newest outdoor trails in Scotland, and has been planned out so that it is as accessible to mountain bikers. There are just a few minor tweaks to make to the standard walking trail to ensure safety for all.

For convenience, the trail is split into 6 sections. On mountain bike, we recommend following two sections per day to get the most out of your trip. This means it can be done over a long weekend, or over a few days throughout the year. Just pick a couple of sections that take your fancy and ride! The best thing is, the trails change so much throughout the year from spring to winter that doing them at different times can feel like completely different rides.

We’ve written a full description and overview of sections all the routes, but below highlights some of the changes you will need to make on a mountain bike.

LN360˚ Sections 1 & 2

If you plan on starting the trail from Inverness, you’ll take the route of the Great Glen Way. Opened in 2002, Scottish Natural Heritage designated it as one of Scotland’s Great Trails. It’s a stunning route, and you will begin it in front of Inverness Castle. You’ll cross the Caledonian Canal and cycle away from Inverness and towards Loch Ness.

As you continue cycling, Inverness will fade into the distance. You will head along towards Drumnadrochit. Follow the guidance on the section 1 route as written – there are no changes required for mountain bikers.

Section 2 does require a modification. After you set off from Drumnadrochit, you will head towards Invermoriston. At stage 3, we advise mountain bike users to select the Great Glen Way low route here.

LN360˚ Sections 3 & 4

On the second day of the trail, you will begin in the lovely village of Invermoriston. There is a Thomas Telford bridge here that is worth a look before you set off. Follow the trail set out in the main section. The only amendment here is on your way to Fort Augustus, take the alternative low-level route. Just use the signage for Great Glen Way low route.

Section 4 of the trail starts in Fort Augustus. It’s worth spending some time in Fort Augustus – there are some excellent pubs serving terrific local food. You can watch the canal activity as you eat. Once re-stocked, you can continue up towards Foyers. There is a part of Loch Ness 360˚ trail between Inverfarigaig and Foyers which is not suitable for cyclists. The alternate route is via Glen Lia (Gleann Liath).

LN360˚ Sections 5 & 6

On the final leg of this Loch Ness 360˚ cycle trail, you will begin your day in Foyers. This is a great spot to get in some Nessie hunting! Once you start your journey, continue along towards Dores. There is an alternative route here that is suitable for cyclists. Take the low-level alternative between Torbreck Woods and Dores, and not the route over Drumashie Moor. The best route for mountain bikes can be taken by following the cycle route at the side of the B862 to Scaniport (Sustrans Route 78).

In Section 6, simply enjoy the trip all the way back to Inverness as described – no alterations, no amendments, just some excellent trail riding!

We hope you love your time around Loch Ness and Inverness mountain biking. Remember to stay in touch and let us know of any problems, hidden gems or excellent service you get. And share your photos with us on Facebook and Instagram – we love seeing them!

December 15, 2019