Reelig Glen – A Mossy Gorge Under Giant Douglas Firs
About a mile on foot.
Reelig Glen is a small, steep-sided gorge near the Beauly Firth, west of Inverness, and some of the tallest trees in Britain grow in its shelter.
The Tall Trees Trail is a short loop among them, with a burn (a stream) below, a mossy stone bridge and a grotto. It is 1.7 km and takes three-quarters of an hour.
- Time
- About three-quarters of an hour: a waymarked loop of 1.7 km (about a mile), graded moderate, with some steep slopes and steps.
- The path
- Mostly firm, wide gravel with uneven and muddy sections, some steep slopes and steps, one narrow bridge and a short section along the road.
- Where to start
- Reelig Glen car park, free: from the A862 between Inverness and Beauly take the minor road signed to Moniack and Clunes, then the left fork after a long straight, and it is half a mile on. It is small. IV5 7PR is the nearest postcode.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. From mid October to March the muddy stretches and the steps are slippery and the light under the trees goes early, so go in the middle of the day. The beeches colour in October.
- Children
- Short enough for small children, but there are steps, steep banks and the burn below the path.
- Toilets
- None at the glen. The nearest are in Beauly.
- Before you set out
- There is open water in the glen.
The walk
Reelig Glen is a narrow, mossy gorge where the Moniack Burn runs between some of the tallest trees in Britain. The Douglas firs here stand over 65 metres high, and they have grown so tall because the steep sides of the glen shelter them. The Tall Trees Trail is a loop of 1.7 km, about a mile, and takes three-quarters of an hour.
It leads among the great trunks with the sound of the burn below, and the glen also holds Britain's tallest larch and lime. At the top of the trail look for an old stone bridge and a grotto, both thick with moss. The bridge is the work of James Baillie Fraser, a traveller of the 19th century whose family owned the glen for more than 500 years.
He may have planted the biggest trees too. The path is mostly firm, wide gravel, with muddy and uneven stretches, some steep slopes and steps, one narrow bridge and a short piece of road.
If it rains
The big trees keep off a good deal of rain and the burn is louder for it. The steps and the muddy stretches need care when wet.
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.
Photograph by Magdalena Hampton via Google