Quaint Villages, Great Cafes, Dolphins
The Black Isle is a pretty peninsula (not actually an island) just north of Inverness. A pretty lighthouse with fantastic views of the Moray Firth including Fort George (an impressive military fortress) is at Chanonry Point. If the tide is right it’s one of the best places in the UK to watch bottlenose dolphins from the shore enjoying the optimal feeding conditions that a rising tide creates.
Walkable from Chanonry Point is Fortrose and although the cathedral is a ruin, it’s a spectacular red stone one at that. The Fairy Glen Trail & Waterfalls at Rosemarkie provides an alternative 30-minute walk (round trip). There’s also a lovely beach. But it’s one particular café and one particular fire-lit whisky bar in Fortrose that we’re always desperate to introduce you to! At Cromarty down by the shore you’ll find old fisherman cottages and an alternative relaxed dining spot that also gets our vote. If all else fails Scotland’s best organic craft beer is brewed in the Black Isle. Trust us, you’re in safe hands!
