Black Rock Gorge

Black Rock Gorge is an unexpectedly dramatic box canyon on the edge of the village of Evanton, its dark, contorted sandstone walls and unseen depths giving it an eerie, magical atmosphere that made it a fitting filming location for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The route starts from the car park at the centre of Evanton, opposite the Cornerstone café and bookshop. Crossing the main road between the Co-op and Post Office, the route passes an impressive old chapel — now a private house — before turning into Camden Street and following a signed track uphill, becoming tree-lined as it passes a couple of houses. At a junction with an information board and a log cabin used by the Evanton Community Woodlands project, a path opposite leads past an adventure playground and along a track high above the river.

A signed path on the right leads steeply downhill to the gorge itself, reaching a bridge that looks placid enough from a distance — but stepping onto the wooden footbridge and looking down reveals a dark, narrow chasm with the water more than a hundred feet below, the sandstone rocks strangely contorted into an eerie, otherworldly scene. The path continues downstream along the very edge of the gorge, a section requiring genuine care, though it can be avoided by staying on the higher main path before rejoining further on. Continuing past a small hydro power generation plant, a riverside path eventually climbs back up to the road, with good views of Fyrish Monument ahead, before the route returns to Evanton via the minor road.

This is a short, memorable woodland walk, but the paths are rough and muddy in places, and genuine care is needed near the unfenced edge of the gorge throughout — not recommended for young children without close supervision.

Parking at the centre of Evanton is free; a bus service runs to Evanton.