Discover Croick: History and Nature

Croick brings together history and nature, with its church, the remains of a Pictish broch and the wildlife in the surrounding area. When planning your trip, it is therefore worth exploring its history, archaeology and nature. The details below will help you get a sense of Croick as a destination before choosing a hotel.

Croick Church and its history

Croick Church was designed by Thomas Telford in 1827. It was built in the same year as one of several parliamentary churches funded by the Westminster government. The aim of the construction was to thank the Highlands for their contribution to the Napoleonic Wars. Its design, year of construction and purpose give the church a clearly defined place in the region’s history.

The east window bears the names and signatures of people evicted from neighbouring straths in 1845 and from Gruinard in 1854. The inscription thus records two different years and places of origin. Along with the church’s construction, this remembrance of the evicted is among the historical connections that distinguish Croick. Those interested in the Highland Clearances will find here a link between a specific place and the names of the people affected.

Information about the church’s history and significance is available at Croick Church. It is best to check current access arrangements before visiting.

The Croick Broch

The Croick Broch lies immediately southwest of Croick Church. Its remains are those of a Pictish broch built around the time of Christ. The church and the broch therefore point to distinctly different periods: the church was built in the 19th century, while the broch’s history stretches back roughly two thousand years further. The proximity of the two historic sites makes this contrast in age a distinctive aspect of Croick.

The broch is about 18.4 metres in diameter, with walls approximately 4.3 metres thick. These measurements give the archaeological structure a tangible scale. At the same time, the remains can be hard to make out at ground level. Both points are useful when planning a visit: the measurements give an idea of its size, while the traces visible on site may be less distinct than the figures might suggest.

Wildlife and fishing

Wildlife in and around Croick includes golden eagles, white-tailed eagles, red deer, lapwings, curlews, golden plovers, squirrels, salmon and trout. The species range from birds and mammals to fish. This covers a variety of animal groups and adds another dimension to the area alongside its historic sites.

Fishing is also specifically associated with Croick: Croick Estate is designated as a fishing beat on the River Blackwater. If fishing is part of your trip plans, check the current conditions for the beat in advance. This lets you take it into account when preparing, without confusing it with the historic sites to visit.

When choosing your destination, you can weigh up whether you are most interested in the history of Croick Church, the stories remembered in the east window, the archaeological remains, or nature and fishing. These topics offer different starting points for planning a stay around your interests.

Discover more destinations: Lochcarron, Tongue, Kirkhill, Alness, Beauly, Halkirk, Polloch, Cromarty

For the broader travel overview: Highland.