Rosemarkie Fairy Glen

The Fairy Glen at Rosemarkie is a delightful, easy woodland walk on the Black Isle, following the Rosemarkie Burn up a steep-sided wooded gorge to two attractive waterfalls — a spot once used for a traditional well-dressing ceremony, where local children decorated a pool with flowers to keep the fairies happy and the water supply clean.

The route starts from a car park on the road leaving Rosemarkie towards Cromarty, with an information board marking the start of this RSPB reserve. The path follows the burn upstream, passing beneath the road bridge before emerging onto a track; forking right onto a smaller path keeps close to the water's edge. The route passes an old mill pond, a peaceful spot where herons and ducks are often seen, before continuing up the glen to the first waterfall, and shortly after, a second, twin-cascade fall — a footbridge crosses in front of it, giving the best view.

Rather than crossing back to retrace the outward route, most walkers stay on the east bank of the burn for the return, passing back under the road bridge on the opposite side from the car park and continuing past several further footbridges to reach Rosemarkie's lovely sandy beach — a good spot for a rest, with a beach café nearby. From the beach, a short road walk (following the one-way system) leads back to the main road and the start of the walk.

This is an easy, family-friendly circuit on a clear footpath throughout, though there are several sets of steps and the ground can be muddy in places, particularly after rain — sturdy footwear is worthwhile despite the short distance involved.

Parking at the Fairy Glen car park is free; a bus service runs to Rosemarkie.