The Glen Affric Route: Scotland’s most beautiful Valley

Tour Inverness or the "Mouth of the River Ness", the only city and capital in the Scottish Highlands, unusual because it has no established limits. It is located near the North Sea, at the mouth of the River Ness and at the southwestern end of the Moray Firth.

Tour this small city and its medieval buildings: the reddish Inverness Castle, an ancient fortress from the 12th century where Shakespeare described some of the scenes of his famous tragedy Macbeth; St. Andrews Cathedral; or Old High Church, the oldest building, for its bell tower.

Walk on Church Street, one of the oldest and liveliest streets in the city, full of shops and pubs. Get to know the Victorian Market, or grab a pint at The Market Bar, one of the oldest pubs. If you want to, venture on a walk along the islands on the River Ness, a few minutes’ walk from the centre crossing several bridges.

Overnight in Inverness

Start this hike on a quiet walk along a stretch of the Great Glen natural fault, which divides Scotland from coast to coast. Walk from the Moray Firth coastline along the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal towpath.

Follow a steep route through the Dochgarroch Forest and explore the 5 km stretch of coastline that covers the Abriachan Forest. From there admire the views over Loch Ness, Britain's second largest lake by area and known for the legend of the Loch Ness monster, or Nessie, who has lived for centuries nearly 34 km long of its waters.

Descend to the small village of Drumnadrochit and visit the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre or take a boat trip to see Nessie. Enjoy views of Cherry Island, the only one on the lake, and Urquhart Castle, a famous postcard photo from Scotland.

Overnight in Drumnadrochit

Start the tour on a rising trail that frames the views of the River Enrick, the traditional route between Inverness and the south, Urquhart Castle and the Telford Bridge, built in the early 19th century and replaced shortly in the next due to flooding. 

Continue along the route and observe the glen and the small village of Milton as you traverse the agricultural fields and cattle farms. Take the path back through the forest towards the small village of Corrimony.

Follow the public road (we suggest using the wide hard shoulder) to the village of Cannich or "place of the cotton swamp", where the Cannich and Affric rivers converge to become the River Glass. Get to know this village which developed thanks to the hydroelectric projects of the late 1940s, and home to the Strathglass Shinty Club, one of the oldest Shinty clubs in the world.

Overnight in Cannich

Explore Affric Lodge today in Glen Affric, Scotland's most beautiful valley. An area lined with pines and beech trees, preferred by walkers due to the high mountains north of Great Glen and its splendid forest trails.

From the village of Cannich, the glen changes and is called Strathglass as the river winds on towards the village of Beauly. Follow the road, and head down a wild pine forest path to Glen Affric viewpoint, located above Beinn Mheadhoin mountain. 

Admire the magnificent views to Mam Nodal and Carn Eighe, the highest mountains in the north of Great Glen, and to the Kintail Mountains. Explore the Caledonian Forest, a national nature reserve. Before returning to Cannich, pay attention to the local fauna: black grouse, great tit, golden eagle, mountain cats, Scottish otters, or the exotic emerald dragonfly stand out here.

Overnight in Cannich

Today's tour takes you back to Affric Lodge, at the start of a forest trail at the northern end of Loch Affric. Continue southeast from the end of the lake where you will observe the "islands" in Beinn Mheadhoin, created by rising water levels during the construction of hydroelectric schemes.

Admire the Sgurr na Lapaich and An Tudair mountains as you continue south to the village of Cougie. Cross the River Affric over Strawberry Cottage Bridge and enjoy views of the Kintail Mountains and the ancient settlement in Athnamulloch. 

Walk west, on the banks of the river, as you discover the ruins of ancient settlements along Loch Affric to Alltbeithe, where Glen Affric Youth Hostel awaits you.

Overnight in Alltbeithe

Climb west, across the pedestrian bridge from Allt Gleann Gniomhaidh, one of the tributaries of the River Affric, to Fionngleann Mountain. 

Go ahead and visit Camban Bothy, one of the most secluded stopping points and, in the distance, the Cnoc Biodaig basin. Descend towards Kintail through the streams on Beinn Fhada Mountain, as you traverse the small waterfalls of the Allt Grannda to the Gleann Lichd Glen and the River Croe.

Walk in the middle of the Beinn Fhada and the Five Sisters of Kintail to the road that takes you to "the sea plain" or Morvich, a small settlement located on the Kintail & Morvich estate. Follow about 2 km to the southwest and you will reach the village of Shiel Bridge.

Overnight in Shiel Bridge

Start your journey on the Mam Ratagan Pass to the viewpoint, so that you have beautiful panoramas of the Five Sisters of Kintail and the three munros of Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe, Sgurr na Carnach and Sgurr Fhuaran. 

Walk through the forest, home to native species such as royal eagles, red deer and wild goats, until you reach the open moor. Descend down a wet, muddy route that passes through Glenn Beag's fascinating Iron Age brochs (dry stone towers).

As you descend, you will arrive in Glenelg, an area of scattered houses whose main village is Kirkton of Glenelg, opposite the Isle of Skye and Sound of Sleat Beach.  Enjoy its fabulous views of the Sandaig Islands (where author Gavin Maxwell wrote the bestseller "Ring of Bright Water"), Ornsay, Rum and Eigg. 

Overnight in Glenelg

For your return from Glenelg, we suggest taking a taxi to Shiel Bridge or Kyle of Lochalsh, where you can take a bus to Inverness or Glasgow.

If you decide to continue the journey on your own to the Isle of Skye, you must take the ferry.

End of our services.