22 | October | 2017 | Scotland's Best Walks With Children

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Total distance – 2.5 Kilometres

Ascent – 120 metres

Walking conditions – Well-defined footpaths and forest tracks. No difficulties.

Nearest town – Fort Augustus

Formerly Kiliwhimin, Fort Augustus was established following the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. It’s a picture postcard town next to Loch Ness and is perhaps best known for hosting one of the most spectacular of the Caledonian Canal’s series of lochs. Allt na Criche lies just outside Fort Augustus and there’s a great little forest walk circuit that affords excellent views of Loch Ness.

Start the walk at the clearly signposted Allt na Criche car park which is about 1.5 Km north on the A82 outside Fort Augustus. If you choose to go anti-clockwise (like us) you start by walking north up a fairly steep footpath clearly identified by a post with a white stripe (These posts clearly mark the route throughout the walk). Within a couple of hundred metres you will see a waterfall to the right of the footpath. The footpath then takes you directly to a wide forest track with a bridge over the waterfall to your right. However, you’re not going over the bridge here. You’re actually turning left onto the forest track and on to the Great Glen Way. This track provides great views of Loch Ness. and gently winds and ascends for a distance of about 800m until you come to another post with a white stripe turning left down onto to a narrow footpath. This takes you through a dark forest to another wider forest track leading you back to the car park.

Allt na Criche

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Total distance – 3.1 Kilometres

Ascent – 10 metres

Walking conditions – Sand and rock underfoot. No difficulties.

Nearest town – Mallaig

My wife was born and bred in a west of Scotland seaside town and is therefore an expert on the Gulf Stream. Being regular visitors of Largs my wife never misses the opportunity to inform me that the abundance of palm trees is a result of the Gulf Stream. I must confess that I am now losing the ability to display surprise and wonder at these revelations. Fortunately, our recent trip to Morar allowed my wife to enlighten me on a Gulf Stream fact that I am less familiar with. As it turns out the beautiful silver sand of Morar originates from the other side of the Atlantic and is transported by the Gulf Stream. And what a sight!

For this particular walk you don’t really need a route map as it’s basically a walk along one of the most breath-taking and magnificent beaches in Scotland. But for what it’s worth, we set off at the car park which is next to the public toilets on the B8008 a few hundred metres west of the A830 on the south bank of the estuary of the River Morar. From there, follow the short, sandy footpath straight to the beach. At this point, just turn left and walk across the sand in the direction of Muck, Rum and Eigg which you’ll see in the distance. Depending on the tide you’ll be able to walk for about 1 kilometre or so until the coastline bears left in a SW direction. At this stage you’re as well climbing a few feet onto one of the rocky outcrops for sandwiches and an uninterupted view of the islands. It’s then just a case of retracing your footsteps back to the car.

Make sure you visit the village of Morar whilst you’re there. If you’re lucky you might catch the Jacobite steam train at the station. And just next to the station across the level crossing, if you take the footpath to the left it takes you on a quick 30 metre ascent up to a fantastic viewpoint featuring a large cross.

Morar