The Black Water – Two Old Bridges and a River in Spate
About 2 miles on foot.
North of Garve the Black Water comes down through birch and pine in a run of peaty pools, rapids and small falls, with an old stone bridge at each end.
Forestry and Land Scotland's Two Bridges Trail goes round both banks between them, 3.3 km in about an hour and a half. It's a walk for autumn, when the river is high and the trees have turned gold.
- Time
- About an hour and a half by Forestry and Land Scotland's Two Bridges Trail, a round of 3.3 km. A riverside walk with steps.
- The path
- Moderate and steep slopes, several flights of uneven steps, and rough, narrow stretches of earth and rock.
- Where to start
- Little Garve car park, signed off the A835 about two miles north of Garve: free. IV23 2PU is the nearest postcode. There is another car park at Silverbridge, a mile further up the A835.
- When to go
- All year in daylight, and at its best in autumn after rain. From November to January set off by 1.30pm.
- Dogs
- Keep dogs close beside the fast water.
- Children
- Steep steps beside a fast river: older children, kept close.
- Toilets
- Public toilets at the Silverbridge car park, at the far end of the walk, run by the Highland Council.
- Before you set out
- Open water beside the path: watch children closely.
The walk
Park at Little Garve, which is signed off the A835 about two miles north of Garve. The Forestry and Land Scotland car park is free, and IV23 2PU is the nearest postcode. The Two Bridges Trail is a waymarked round of 3.3 km beside the Black Water, and takes about an hour and a half. It runs between two old stone bridges. The high arch at Little Garve carried a military road built about 250 years ago from Contin to Poolewe on the west coast.
It's known as Wade's Bridge, though it was built by his successor, Major William Caulfeild. At the far end is Silverbridge, on an old route the cattle drovers took to the markets in the south. Between the two, the river drops through dark, peaty pools and rapids, and it's at its loudest in autumn, when the water is high and the birches have turned gold. Look for brown trout in the pools below the bridge. The trail is graded strenuous: there are steep slopes, several flights of uneven steps and some narrow, rocky stretches, so wear boots.
Keep children and dogs close beside the fast water. There are public toilets and another car park at Silverbridge, so you can start from that end if you'd rather. The nearest places to eat are in Strathpeffer and Dingwall. From November to January, set off by 1.30pm.
If it rains
The river is at its best after rain, and the trees give some shelter, but the steps and rocky stretches are slippery when wet, so take them slowly. In a downpour, see the bridge at Little Garve from the car park and leave the round for another day.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.