Discover Evanton: woodland trails and history

Evanton Wood lies just behind the village; the ruins of Kiltearn Old Parish Church and the former Secession Chapel are among the historic landmarks that form part of the village’s character. When planning a trip to Evanton, you can focus on two different interests: woodland and riverside trails, or the history of the buildings and the planned settlement. Which aspect you give more weight to depends on whether you want to focus on nature trails or local heritage.

Woodland and riverside trails

Evanton Wood covers 65 hectares of mature woodland and lies just behind the village. The Allt Graad/R.Glass and Blackrock Gorge form its boundaries. A short woodland walk from Evanton leads to Black Rock Gorge. The gorge is therefore both a named walking destination and a landscape feature on the edge of the woodland. This is equivalent to 0.65 square kilometres.

You can reach Evanton Wood on foot or by bicycle via Chapel Road. Access is via a signposted path to the right of the chapel. Check local access conditions before your visit.

Work completed in 2016 widened and resurfaced local paths; following the completion of the work, they were suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Check current surface conditions before your visit, as they can change.

Near Lower Balconie, a path runs alongside the River Skiach; another path follows the shore of the Cromarty Firth. This offers two distinct landscape settings: a river and the Firth shore. Check access, path and shoreline conditions before your visit: surfaces, terrain and shoreline conditions can change; erosion and weather affect the path along the Cromarty Firth.

Local history and historic buildings

The ruins of Kiltearn Old Parish Church are among the most important historic sites in the village of Evanton. The former Secession Chapel adds another perspective on local history: it is an early 19th-century, two-storey building with five bays. It stands at the end of the main street of the planned village of Evanton and was later used as a Free Church school.

The five bays describe the façade’s arrangement, while the two storeys describe its vertical layout. Together with its position at the end of the main street, these architectural features connect the chapel with the layout of the planned village.

A 2017 survey recorded 378 memorial stones and 72 grave markers in the cemetery at Kiltearn Old Kirk. These figures add a distinct perspective on forms of remembrance to the local history, beyond the architectural history of the church and chapel.

A monument in Highland Deephaven Industrial Park commemorates Evanton (Novar) airfield; it was unveiled on 13 August 2017. This means the history of local remembrance extends beyond the ecclesiastical buildings.

Discover more destinations: Dalwhinnie, Dunvegan, Isle Of Raasay, Bowermadden, Drumnadrochit, Kinbrace, Invergordon, Teangue

For the wider travel overview: Highland.