Magical Places To Visit
The Highlands of Scotland have long been a magical place, steeped in mystical and mythical folklore. With so many places to visit, below are just a sample of some of these magical treats.
Around Strathpeffer
Eagle Stone
Part of the Pictish Trail, Eagle Stone is a lone standing stone.
The Clach an Tiompain (in English, the "Sounding Stone") or The Eagle Stone is a small Class I Pictish stone located on a hill on the northern outskirts of Strathpeffer.
Carved on the southeast side are two images, a horse shoe-like arc symbol above an eagle. The stone is associated with the prophecies of the 16th century Brahan Seer. He predicted that if the stone fell three times, the surrounding valley would be flooded, and the stone used as an anchor.
Cnoc Farrel
The closest translation from into English of Cnoc FarrelI is Majestic Highplace. This nearby Pictish hill fort affords spectacular views over the Cromarty Firth and surrounding mountains. It is not uncommon to see golden eagles and other rare wildlife in this area. There are a few paths from the village that will take you to this glorious summit.
Touchstone Maze
This beautiful stone labyrinth is located on the woodland path above Strathpeffer on the way to Cnoc Farrel. Although a modern construction it is made of ancient stones from around the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The stones are arranged on a prehistoric design and are aligned to the various positions of the sun and moon. If you take a moment to sit for a while you can feel the peace and tranquillity of the place.
And Beyond
Clava Cairns
The Clava Cairns, or ‘The Prehistoric burial cairns of Balnuaran of Clava’ to give them their proper name, lie seven miles east of Inverness. The cairns are made up of three stone cairns. Each of the three cairns is surrounded by a stone circle. As the passages are aligned with the winter solstice, the rays of the setting sun can be seen shining down the passages. The Clava Cairns, are part of a line of seven sites dotted along the south side of the river Nairn.
Corrieshalloch Gorge
Corrieshalloch Gorge is a natural beauty spot on the A832 by Braemore Junction on the road to Ullapool. There is a suspension bridge that gives you spectacular views of the Falls of Measach, the Gorge sides and over the valley. There is a strong dragon (ley) line that runs through the gorge, the magic of which can be felt in certain spots along the gorge. Corrieshalloch Gorge is one of the natural wonders of the Highlands.
Fairy Glen
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Fairy Glen is located on the outskirts of the small town of Rosemarkie on the mystical Black Isle. It is a beautiful wooded glen is a nature reserve with two attractive waterfalls set in an attractive steep-sided valley, with the Markie Burn running through it. The Fairy Glen was once the scene of a well-dressing ceremony, where the children of the village decorated a pool, next to a spring, with flowers. This was said to ensure that the fairies kept the water supply clean.