Croick to Black Bridge Track
Start location: Croick (NH 454 914)
End location: Black Bridge (NH 373 708)
Geographical area: Ross and Cromarty
Path Type: Rural Path
Path distance: 28km
Accessibility info: Suitable for pedestrians
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Route DescriptionThis route starts on the A835 at Black Bridge about 2km east of Aultguish Inn. Follow the private road N up Strath Vaich on the east side of the Abhainn Srath a’ Bhathaich past Lubriach and the plantation just beyond there. The track goes over a little knoll from where there is a fine view up Loch Vaich. Go along the east side of the loch past the ruins of Lubachlaggan and beyond the head of the loch climb gradually to the pass on the east side of Meall a’ Chaorainn and descend to Deanich Lodge in Gleann Mor. Continue down this very long glen past Alladale Lodge to Croik or there is an alternative ending at the Craigs.
Heritage Information
This path is depicted in the 1st edition OS 6 inch to the mile maps (1843-1882) as a double lined track throughout. Therefore it was probably quite a well made route, but even in the mid-19th century there don't seem to have been too many people living along the road so it may have been fairly quiet. It was probably used mainly by people using it to travel long distances to east Sutherland and Caithness or Skye and Lochalsh or Lochaber.
Strath Vaich was flooded by the building of the Hydro-Electric Board dam in 1957. The route originally ran closer to the river, but the rising waters meant the right of way has migrated further up the hillside east of the new Loch Vaich.
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