Old Crosscountry Routes
Start location: Incheril, Kinlochewe (NH 034 619)
End location: A832, Corrie Hallie (NH 114 851)
Geographical area: Ross and Cromarty
Path Type: Rural Path
Path distance: 39.4km
Accessibility info: Suitable for pedestrians
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Route DescriptionFrom the carpark at Incheril go up the private road to Heights of Kinlochewe. Take the left-hand track which goes north up Gleann na Muice, and beyond its end continue along a path up the glen to the southeast end of Lochan Fada. From there bear northeast towards Loch Meallan an Fhudair and beyond there continue north on a level traverse to the Bealach na Croise.
There is a path of sorts on the northwest side of the stream flowing northeast from the bealach, and lower down cross to join the path on its east side. Go north along the east side of Loch an Nid and down the path beside the Abhainn Loch an Nid until it joins a track near Achnegie. Follow this track uphill and across high moorland to Loch Coire Chaorachain, beyond which the track drops down through birch woods to reach the A832 at Corrie Hallie, 4km from Dundonnell Hotel.
OS Landranger 19 (Gairloch)
Heritage Information
These old crosscountry routes were probably used for a variety of different purposes. They were used for droving at times and would certainly have been used by traders and other people travelling from community to community.
Roy's Military Survey of Scotland (1747-55) shows a road running from Kinlochewe up Glen Tanigg (Gleann Tanagaidh) - instead of Gleann na Muice - then over Bealach na Croise to Loch an Nid. Roy's route follows the river all the way to Loch na Sealga and it ultimately reaches Gruinard, so this is quite possibly the route used by the droves of cattle from Lewis which were landed in Gruinard Bay. They were said to be walked up by the River Gruinard and on the the west side of Loch na Sealga to reach Kinlochewe. In 1772, Thomas Pennant travelled from Dundonnell to Kinlochewe, a journey later recounted in his book Voyage to the Hebrides.
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