GPS Cycle and Walking Routescycle iconwalk icon

Beauly River Walk

6.8 miles (11 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This walk visits Beauly, one of the loveliest villages in Scotland. It's a popular place to visit with a number of independent shops, cherry blossom trees and a pretty square in the centre.
The walk starts at the historic Beauly Priory next to the river. The 13th century priory ruins are a fine place for a stroll in the village. Beauly is one of three priories founded in Scotland in about 1230 for monks of the Valliscaulian order. 
From near the priory you can then pick up a waterside trail heading east along the River Beauly. The trail will take you to Tarradale House with some nice views across the estuary and the Beauly Firth.
The village is located just a few miles from Inverness where you could try the Inverness Canal and Forest Walk. There's some nice easy walks along the Caledonian Canal to enjoy here.

Postcode

IV4 7BX - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Beauly River Walk OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Beauly River Walk Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Walks near Beauly

  • Inverness Canal and Forest Walk - This varied walk from the city first takes you along the Caledonian Canal before heading to the nearby Craig Phadrig Forest
  • Caledonian Canal - Follow the Caledonian Canal from Inverness to Loch Dochfour on this waterside walk or cycle in the Scottish Highlands
  • Great Glen Way - Follow the Great Glen, running from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east
  • Culloden Battlefield - This circular walk explores the site of the Battle of Culloden which took place as part of the Jacobite Rising in 1746
  • Rosehaugh Estate - This walk explores the Rosehaugh House Estate near Avoch on the south-east coast of the Black Isle, on the Moray Firth.
  • Caledonia Way - This route follows Sustrans National Cycle Route 78 from Campbeltown to Inverness.
  • Clava Cairns and Culloden Viaduct - This circular walk visits the ancient Clava Cairns near Inverness
  • Dingwall Canal Walk - This walk takes you along the Dingwall Canal in the town of Dingwall in the Highlands
  • Cawdor Castle and Woods - This circular walk visits Cawdor Castle before exploring the surrounding Cawdor Woods in the Highlands.

Pubs/Cafes

The Priory Hotel is a nice place to enjoy some refreshments after your exercise. They serve good home cooked food which you can enjoy next to the real fire.
The hotel takes its name from the home of the 13th Century Cistercian monks who chose Beauly as a tranquil location for their secluded meditation and worship. You can find them on the square at postcode IV4 7BX for your sat navs.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

To the north there's the town of Dingwall where you can enjoy a walk along the old Dingwall Canal. It's a nice easy waterside walk with splendid views over the Cromarty Firth at the coastal end.
To the north west is Muir of Ord where you can enjoy a hike to the fine viewpoint at Ord Hill.

Photos

River Beauly - geograph.org.uk - 693820

River Beauly

River Beauly at Beauly - geograph.org.uk - 1802910

River Beauly at Beauly

Stream flowing through the mudflats - geograph.org.uk - 2861172

Stream flowing through the mudflats

Beauly Priory 3

Beauly Priory

Along the bank by the firth - geograph.org.uk - 2861259

Along the bank by the firth

The Square, Beauly, in autumn - geograph.org.uk - 1709308

The Square, Beauly, in autumn. This is the centre of Beauly and most of the shops are in or near The Square. The main road through The Square leads to Muir of Ord. The ruins of the Valliscaulian priory are behind the tall trees on the right.
'C'est un beau lieu', from the French what a beautiful place, was Mary Queen of Scots reaction to the grandeur of the scene when she stayed in Beauly in the 16th century, and local tradition credits the naming of the village to her.

Beauly Square - geograph.org.uk - 1532948

Beauly Square. From near the Market Cross, at the Priory end of the square.

Tarradale House-Geograph-4704758-by-Julian-Paren

Tarradale House

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Beauly River Walk.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)