Best walks near Inverness by train
Inverness-shire · Scotland | Walks by foot
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Dingwall Station to Alness Station (Ross-shire)
30m direct from Inverness.
A farm track that becomes a country road, then a useful cycle path beside the road after Evanton. Mostly easy and swift walking on hard surfaces and with a fair amount of road and some traffic. Covers part of the John o'Groats Trail from the Cromarty Bridge to Alness; see jogt.org.uk for the full Trail route.
Tough: steep ascents. 17km.
The country road carries a fair amount of traffic, though it is wide enough for safety with generally good sight lines.
Lunch stop: Cornerstone Café.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Aviemore Station to Carrbridge Station (Inverness-shire)
45m direct from Inverness.
A beautiful walk along well maintained paths through native Caledonian Forest; classic Highland landscapes; a delight. A beautiful walk on well-maintained gravel paths through native Caledonian pine forest, heather and conifers, following the Speyside Way, forest trails and minor roads and with the Strathspey Railway for company on the first section. Easy and well-suited to bikes. Follows the Speyside Way and Cycle Route 7. Boat of Garten at the halfway point has cafes and good facilities. The relic of the old bridge at Carrbridge is worth seeing.
17km. Moderate ascents.
Lunch: A couple of cafes at Boat of Garten, midway, and a cafe and shop at Carrbridge.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Kingussie Station to Aviemore Station (Inverness-shire)
45m direct from Inverness.
lots of lovely nature to enjoy. Largely follows a well-maintained, signposted multi-use trail in good condition, on quiet paths beside a minor road, through RSPB woodland and pleasant riverside stretches and with some road walking. Easy and clear going throughout. Largely follows the Speyside Way national trail, diverging from it in places. The RSPB Insh Marshes reserve has a visitor centre with a bar/cafe.
Tough: 24km. Moderate ascents.
Lunch: Visitor centre with a bar/cafe at the RSPB reserve roughly mid-route.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Dalwhinnie Station to Kingussie Station (Inverness-shire)
1h direct from Inverness.
a wonderful natural landscape with plenty of wildlife; some splendid isolation and views over the moors in Badenoch. A long, remote walk through wild Badenoch moorland in two distinct sections: a narrow tarmac road with light traffic from Dalwhinnie, then General Wade's military road across open moorland and through woodland, where the track becomes grassy and indistinct. A few boggy areas and streams to negotiate and plus two crossings of the A9. No facilities; splendid isolation and moorland views. Follows General Wade's military road across the moor. A remote area with no facilities along the way; abundant wildlife including birds, dragonflies and damselflies. Crossing the A9 twice; cyclable on a hybrid or mountain bike.
Tough: 22km. Moderate ascents.
The first section follows a narrow tarmac road with no footpath. The moorland path is indistinct in places, so careful navigation with GPS and map is needed at junctions. Two crossings of the A9 trunk road. A few boggy areas. No facilities the whole way.
Lunch: No facilities along the way; come fully provisioned.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Nairn Station to Forres Station (Nairnshire)
15m direct from Inverness.
A long, pleasantly rural route mostly on asphalt along quiet back roads, with forestry, heather and farmland and occasional houses. A short off-road footpath at Dyke may be wet or muddy. Passes through the restored site of Kingsteps Quarry. A bus stop at Brodie has a good service to Nairn, Inverness, Forres, Elgin and Aberdeen.
17km. Gentle ascents.
Lunch: Brodie Castle has a cafe (check opening days and times).
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Muir of Ord Station to Dingwall Station (Inverness-shire)
15m direct from Inverness.
11km. Moderate ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Forres Station to Elgin Station (Morayshire)
30m direct from Inverness.
Tough: 23km. Moderate ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Garve Station to Dingwall Station (Ross-shire)
30m direct from Inverness.
Tough: 21km, steep ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Alness Station to Invergordon Station (Ross-shire)
45m direct from Inverness.
Easy: 5km, moderate ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Invergordon Station to Tain Station (Ross-shire)
45m direct from Inverness.
17km. Moderate ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Beauly Station to Muir of Ord Station (Inverness-shire)
15m direct from Inverness.
A functional route following an uneven pavement along the side of a busy road and with the pavement switching sides several times. Generally well kept but narrows in places.
Easy: 3km, moderate ascents.
The pavement runs on alternate sides of a busy road, so it is necessary to cross a few times, and there isn't always a pedestrian crossing.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Alness Station to Tain Station (Ross-shire)
45m direct from Inverness.
Climbs out of Alness past a golf course onto the Scotsburn Road, then is intended to follow forest tracks; in practice much of the marked forest route is impassably overgrown or blocked and leaving a long stretch of tarmac road with fairly frequent traffic. Closely follows the John o'Groats Trail; see jogt.org.uk for additional route descriptions.
Tough: 21km, steep ascents.
The marked forest paths are blocked or impassably overgrown in places, and a gate at Scotsburn Farm was locked; walkers may end up on the road for most of the route, which is all tarmac with fairly frequent vehicles.