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Fortrose Black Isle Moray Firth Scotland
Fortrose is the main village on the south of the Black Isle. It was founded in 13th century and is dominated by the ruins of its 13th century cathedral. Open daily 9am-8pm. Admission free.
From the north of Fortrose you can access Chanonry Point which juts out into the sea and is an excellent place for dolphin-spotting and birdwatching.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie Tourist Guide
Fortrose is the main village on the south of the Black Isle. It was founded in 13th century and is dominated by the ruins of its 13th century cathedral. Open daily 9am-8pm. Admission free.
Between Fortrose and Rosemarkie you'll find shops, chemists, cafes and a post office for everyday needs. Fortrose has a leisure centre with pool, sports hall, fitness suite and creche and meeting facilities. The Black Isle Leisure Centre, Deans Road, Fortrose, Ross-shire, IV10 8TJ. Tel/Fax: 01381 621252/621254
From the north of Fortrose you can access Chanonry Point which juts out into the sea and is an excellent place for dolphin-spotting. The best time to see them is while the tide is rising when you might see dolphins breaking the surface while fishing. The point also has an excellent sandy and shingle beach with picnic tables and a caravan park.
There is also a memorial plague to the 17th century Brahan Seer, Cuinneach Odhar, whose visions predicted all sorts of significant events in Scotland like the buildings of the Caledonian Canal and the Highland Clearances. While working on the Seaforth estate Countess Seaforth summoned the seer as her husband was late from a trip to France. In a vision Cuinneach saw the Count in a compromising position with a fair lady. The Countess flew into such a rage at being told this that she ordered him to be thrown head first into a barrel of boiling tar (a woman scorned!). His last prediction before his gruesome execution near Brahan Castle on Chanonry Point was that when a deaf and dumb earl inherited the estate the Seaforth line would end. This became true in 1815 when the last earl died. The 13th hole of the Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Course now marks the spot of his execution.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club
The golf course has been created on the Chanonry peninsula where the Moray Firth surrounds it on three sites. It is a challenging par 71, 18 hole golf course with some fantastic views including that of Chanonry Lighthouses on the 4th hole. Golf was first played here in 1702 but was only extended to an 18 hole course in 1924.
Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club, Ness Road East, Fortrose, Scotland, IV10 8SE. Tel: Office: 01381 620529; Shop: 01381 620733. Form general enquiries about the club or for group bookings, email: secretary@fortrosegolfclub.co.uk
Black Isle Pictish Museum - Groam House Museum
Just outside Fortrose is Rosemarkie with its small museum on Pictish culture. The Groam House Museum has a fantastic display of intricately carved Pictish standing stones including the famous Rosemarkie Cross Slab. An introductory video shows you where the Pictish sites can be found in the area. There are activities for children including rubbings of Pictish symbols or a chance to play a harp that would have been used by Pictish people. There is also a shop selling themed gifts and publications.
Opening Hours: May-Sept Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2-4.30pm; Oct-Apr Sat and Sun 2-4pm or by prior appointment. Groam House Museum, High Street, Rosemarkie, Ross-shire, Scotland IV10 8UF. Tel: 01381 620961 or tel/fax 01381 621730. Email groamhouse@ecosse.net
Moray Firth Birdwatching and RSPB Reserves
Chanonry Point is also a good place to look out for seabirds. Great, arctic, pomarine and occasional long-tailed skua can be seen in Spring and Autumn on their migration and manx shearwaters, storm and leach's petrels in late summer. Gannets fish in the Inner Firth and you can regularly see fulmars and kittiwakes. During the winter the whole estuary comes alive with thousands of waders and ducks including ringed plovers, dunlins, turnstones, curlews, godwits, goldeneyes, red breasted mergansers and long tailed ducks.
Fairy Glen near Rosemarkie is a wooded reserve owned by the RSPB through which the stream, Markie Burn, runs in the valley. There are also two waterfalls upstream. This is obviously good for a range of woodland birds as well as buzzards, sparrowhawks and red kites and dippers on the stream. Surprise inhabitants are the fulmars who nest on the inland cliff that joins the reserve. Follow the A832 through Rosemarkie and turn right into the car park before the bridge over the Markie burn. Reserve Warden tel: 01463 751329.
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