[This walk was completed on Sunday 11th May 2025]
Such a treat to have lunch in a cafe! There have been so few places open on the north coast of Scotland – closed pubs, and cafes that have erratic opening hours. I feel I must be approaching civilisation again.
Leaving the cafe behind, I head along the shore. Rosemarkie is a pretty place, and popular with visitors.
[This walk was completed on Sunday 11th May 2025]
I’m staying in a beautiful campsite in Fortrose, right on the coast of the Black Isle. (Strange name for the area, as it is neither black nor an island!) And this morning I can enjoy a leisurely morning – no bed to put away, and no van to pack up – because this morning I’m going to catch a bus.
In fact, I’m so relaxed, that I nearly miss the bus and have to jog, with my backpack flapping on my shoulders, to the bus stop. This is the number 26 service to Cromarty and – yes – it even runs on a Sunday.
I’ve met very few people all morning but now, as I’m eating my lunch, the traffic begins to hot up. This father and child toil past me, going up hill.
[This walk was completed on Saturday, 10th May, 2025]
I leave my bike in the same spot as yesterday. But today I’m heading south, along the minor road that leads down towards Rosemarkie. It’s another beautiful day, and the fields are bright with gorse and rape seed crops.
[This walk was completed on Friday, 9th May 2025]
A fit person would walk from the Cromarty ferry straight down to Rosemarkie, in one day. But, I am no longer a fit person, so I decided to divide the walk up into a number of stages. Each stage is determined by car-parking possibilities, and the first stage will need to be walked backwards!
So, this is how I end up cycling along a minor road to a junction with a track, where I leave my Scooty bike chained up. What a great view over the Cromarty peninsula.
[This walk was completed on the 8th May 2025]
The Nigg ferry is not supposed to start running until the 1st June, but the lady at the campsite told me it had started running early this year. Wonderful!
So, I drive to Cromarty, park the van, and wait for the little ferry to arrive. I LOVE ferries.
[This walk was completed on Wednesday, 7th May, 2025]
I cycle to Hilton of Cadboll, and chain my bike up to a sign that reads, “Balintore, 1 km”. Look back at the shore where I walked yesterday and…
[This walk was completed on Tuesday, 6th May, 2025]
Not wanting to risk the steep road down to Rockfield on my Scooty bike, I leave him chained up in a field at the top of the hill. Start the descent down the road…
… much easier coming down today than going up yesterday! And a lovely view over the village.
Continue reading[This walk was completed on Monday, 5th May, 2025]
I give up my fruitless attempt to spot whales, or dolphins, at the tip of Tarbat ness. Walk down the path hugging the coast, then pick up the access road that runs past the lighthouse.
[This walk was completed on Monday, 5th May, 2025]
I’m back in Portmahomack, and it is looking beautiful in the sunshine. Today, I have planned a circular walk around the Tarbat Ness peninsula, so no cycling required!
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Report number:1234 Date: 4/5/26 Location: On the side of the river Arun just past Arundel castle 2 people with dog Laura’s report: “We were walking on the footpath and the cows were quite a way to our right, to our left was the river. The cows started coming over, we went down towards the river […]
Report number:1233 Date: 3/5/26 Location: Aller, near Langport, Somerset Family group & dog Libby’s report: “We were chased and pinned against the rivers edge by a whole group of cows who were kicking and jumping. They edged closer and closer until we were left with no option but to jump into the river and swim […]
Report number: 1232 Date: 25/4/26 Location: Between Overton and Erbistock (Wrexham). Approx What3Words = riverside.period.curtail 2 people no dog Frances’s report: “We crossed a stile into the field and immediately noticed a herd of cows on the other side. They seemed to be minding their own business and facing the other direction so we continued […]
Ruth's Coastal Walk (UK) 