Great Glen Way: Leachkin to Inverness Castle

Directions

This leg starts off on the road in Leachkin near the old hospital at NH637441. Turn right down a road, and follow it as it heads in a rough easterly direction, heading downhill as it passes a private car park on the left and the imposing Scottish National Heritage building on the right. When this road ends at a T-junction, cross the road ahead and continue on downhill along a path. After a third of a mile it passes near to some power lines and then curves to the left, passing houses on the right.

After a short distance at NH644440 the path turns to the right, heading across a grassy area between houses. At the end of the grass cross a road and continue along a gravel path, initially between more houses. It passes a playground on the left and continues across grass. After 100 yards on the grass turn half-left, skirting the last house of a terrace on the left to reach another road. Cross the end of this road and join a paved path that leads down to an underpass under a road. On the other side of the road continue along the paved path, initially with a golf course to the right. After a short distance turn right off the paved path onto a gravel path that heads on, initially with a fence on the right.

The path curves away from the fence on the rightand parallels one on the left, which separates the path from playing fields. It aims straight for a wooded hillside ahead; it goes through a little band of trees and climbs up steps to reach a surfaced track that parallels the Caledonian Canal at NH652442.

Turn right and follow the canal south-southeastwards for a third of a mile until the A82(T) is reached at NH654438. Turn left to cross a swing bridge over the canal, and on the other side turn right down Bught Road. After a quarter of a mile the road curves to the left; as it does so continue on towards Whin Island.

Do not cross a footbridge onto the island, and instead turn left to follow a path that parallels Bught Road on the left, with a small tributary stream of the river on the right. Soon a suspension footbridge is reached on the right at NH660436; cross this and on the other side turn left to walk northeastwards along a surfaced path that heads across an island in the middle of the river. At the end of the island it turns right to cross another footbridge that curves between trees onto a second island.

At the end of the second island turn right to cross another suspension footbridge. On the other side turn left to head north along a surfaced path that runs with the B862 on the right and the river on the left. After a while it crosses a short footbridge with ornate handrails to reach the main road, then turns right to continue north along the main road. It passes a long suspension bridge over the river, with the cathedral on the other side. At NH665448 turn right along an alleyway called Ness Place; go up a few steps and then turn left up View Bank road.

After a few yards the road forks; take the right-hand branch and follow it as it continues north. It swings slightly to the left and then right; at the right-hand bend turn left up the access road that leads to Inverness Castle. The stone marking the end of the Great Glen Way stands immediately to the left of this junction at NH666449, with fine view of the castle ahead.

Places of interest

Transport

Regular bus services serve the New Craigs Hospital in Leachkin a short distance down the road from start of the walk.

Inverness has excellent transport links; the main coach and rail stations are a short distance away from the castle, from where buses and trains can be caught to destinations throughout Scotland. The city's airport lies a few miles east of the town, and is served by regular coaches from the bus station.

As usual, Traveline Scotland is an excellent resource for planning public transport journeys.

Other walk accounts

This leg is mentioned in the following web pages:

• Drumnadrochit to Inverness (WalkHighlands)
• Drumnadrochit to Inverness (Britishwalks)
• Drumnadrochit to Inverness (GreatGlenWay.fsnet.co.uk)

Map information

Landranger (1:50,000)		Explorer (1:25,000)
Landranger 26 (Inverness & Loch Ness)	or	Explorer 416 (Inverness, Loch Ness & Culloden)