ACTIVE OUTDOORS: Lighting the way on the Tarbat Ness peninsula

The distinctive red and white stripes of Tarbat Ness lighthouse make it a real landmark, and the edge of the peninsula is also a landing spot for plenty of migratory birds.

Redwing, meadow pipit and wheatear stop off here from Scandinavia, while gannet, red-throated diver, manx shearwater and arctic skua are among the many species that can also be spotted here.

You might even be lucky enough to see dolphins or a minke whale from this unique location, where the Great Glen faultline breaks out into the sea in the middle of the Moray Firth.

To one side, the hills of east Sutherland and Caithness rise and fall along the horizon, while on the opposite shore you can look over to the Aberdeenshire and Moray coast, with the Cairngorm mountains an eye-catching feature across the ocean

It’s possible to park a car a short distance from the lighthouse and wander down to the water’s edge, but this circuit allows you to take your time and see so much more of this spectacular area.

Route details

Tarbat Ness Lighthouse circuit from Portmahomack

Distance 9 miles / 15km

Terrain Vague path along shore, grass, mud, steep hills, cattle and sheep present

Start/finish Portmahomack

Map OS Landranger 21 / OS Explorer 438

Visit a striking lighthouse on this peninsular that juts out into the Moray Firth, with a chance of spotting some wonderful marine wildlife

Click here to see the route in OS Maps.

Beginning in Portmahomack, where there’s a free car park on the left-hand side as you enter the village, the walk follows a path beside a white wall and along the main road to reach the harbour. Pass a turning point and keep left of the entrance of a house then go through a gate onto the grassy shore.

A sign warns that cattle will be present along parts of the walk, and there are plenty of them between here and the lighthouse. They mostly just stared at me as I wondered past, but the sign warns that from late February to July there will be young calves present and that parent cattle can be aggressive when protecting their young.

The route sticks largely to the shoreline, where there are interesting formations of old red sandstone jutting out onto shingle beaches, with short grass that’s perfect for walking. I looked out across the firth and could see the Mannie – the statue to the first Duke of Sutherland – rising high on top of Beinn Bhraggie above Golspie.

There are a few stiles to cross as you pass along the shore, wandering around the outcrops of rock and below huge thickets of gorse growing higher up the slopes. After crossing one fence close to a fenced-off ruinous building, there are a few options to climb slightly away from the water’s edge – although I was conscious of not getting too close to the cattle in the field above.

I wriggled through the gorse on little paths and enjoyed spotting cormorants, oyster catchers and other birds on the rocks below. Eventually you have to get up to the field itself when passage along the shore is too difficult.

A horribly muddy and hoof-ridden route passes through a gate, after which I quickly dropped back down to the level grass near the shore again – much more pleasant for walking again

Now you can actually see the lighthouse come into view, as well. Walk past a large pond and continue through a couple more fields of cows, and aim for a small gate to the left of the lighthouse buildings.

Lots of little paths meander through here to reach the point at Tarbat Ness, a place where reputedly witches and covens used to meet according to Highland folklore. For me, it was a lovely spot to sit down and have a drink from my flask and a bit of lunch, while scanning the water for wildlife.

Next I headed back up towards the lighthouse itself, the third tallest in Scotland – after North Ronaldsay and Skerryvore. Having come into operation in 1830, four years after 16 vessels were lost in a storm, its red stripes were added in 1915 to help make it more conspicuous during daylight hours.

The light, which emits four flashes every 30 seconds, was automated in 1985.

Head past the lighthouse buildings – which are not accessible to the public – and continue straight on past the car park to reach a T-junction. Go left here down to the old salmon bothy and follow a path off to the right, signed for Rockfield and Hilton.

This sticks to the shore and you can wander along the beach for part of the way when it’s low tide, although at one point a couple of marker posts point up a steep grassy climb. Once at the top, follow it a short way before aiming back down a grassy slope – I went too far and ended up blocked between impenetrable gorse and a fence, so had to retrace my steps a little way.

Back down by the sea, you can now just enjoy the walk, looking over to the Cairngorms and admiring more bird life. This side of the walk has sheep rather than cattle, too, so there are no worries on that front!

The sun was starting to set as I approached Rockfield, leaving a beautiful glow across the sky. Passing a croft with pigs and other animals, you emerge at the road on a corner, where you turn right to climb the steep hill and follow the quiet road back to Portmahomack.

As I passed the high point of the road, I briefly spotted the tip of the lighthouse, now flashing as the light faded, as it has done for nearly 200 years.