Inverkirkaig: Loch Kirkaig, River and Walking Trails

Inverkirkaig lies at the head and along the northern shore of Loch Kirkaig. Bounded by rocky headlands, the narrow sea loch sets the scene for a stay among the coast, river and walking trails. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Inverkirkaig, you can plan around the experiences you would like to enjoy locally: a walk to the Falls of Kirkaig, the course of the River Kirkaig or the history of the settlement.

Location on Loch Kirkaig

Inverkirkaig is a crofting settlement dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. It lies on a raised beach and adjoining peat-covered ground at the head of the loch. Behind the shingle beach, a narrow single-track road runs between Achiltibuie and Lochinver. This road provides a specific reference point for route planning. The shingle beach, peatland and rocky headlands also describe the different features of the landscape around the settlement.

Walking to the Falls of Kirkaig

The Falls of Kirkaig are about 60 feet high and plunge into a pool below. If you wish, you can extend a walk to the waterfalls by approximately one kilometre to Fionn Loch. The path can become boggy; the approximate extra distance and possible trail conditions are useful details when planning the length of a walk.

Beyond the Falls of Kirkaig, the path continues to Fionn Loch and provides access to the challenging southern approach to Suilven. This approach is described as rough. When planning, you can distinguish between the destinations: Fionn Loch is a possible extension to the walk, while the southern approach to Suilven should be considered a challenging continuation.

River Kirkaig and fishing

The River Kirkaig runs through a gorge with a series of rocky pools and rapids. Below the Falls of Kirkaig, the river is divided into three fishing beats. Each has two rods, and the beats are fished on alternate days. If you would like to fish there, confirm the current fishing arrangements in advance. This helps distinguish the described division of the beats from the river landscape in general.

Crofting history and historical traces

The archaeological classifications also reach far back in time: Inverkirkaig 1 is a hut circle dated from the Neolithic to the late Iron Age. Its stated date range is approximately 4000 BC to AD 560. On the southern edge of Inverkirkaig, a possible burnt mound lies on a flat river terrace above the River Kirkaig, in an enclosed field between the river and the shore of Loch Kirkaig.

Near the mouth of the River Kirkaig, a stone monument may represent the remains of a boat landing place. The name Kirkaig also has a possible historical interpretation: it probably derives from the Old Norse Kirkju-vik, “church bay”. This could suggest a settlement with a church during the Viking Age. The wording is deliberately cautious, since neither the interpretation of the name nor that of the stone monument is certain.

Another sign of the area’s cultural history is the monument to poet Norman MacCaig near Kirkaig Bridge. It was erected in 2002 to commemorate the local community’s appreciation of him. Alongside the crofting traces and archaeological classifications, it gives a stay a historical dimension as well as walking trails and river scenery.

Discover more destinations: Keiss, Fortrose, Bunchrew, Grantown On Spey, Lochcarron, Fassfern, Letterfearn, Ardvasar

For the wider travel overview: Highland.