Evanton Wood is a community woodland on the Cromarty Firth north of Inverness. It is perhaps best known for its geological peculiarity, the Black Rock Gorge that featured in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”.
While the gorge is quite spectacular, the diverse forest around it is a great place to relax and to have a closer look at the different species of conifers and deciduous trees growing in the woods: Beech, birch, rowan, douglas fir, sitka spruce, the mighty Scots pine and an impressive population of western hemlock - reputedly one of Queen Victoria’s favourites.
The woodland has been owned by the community since 2012 and you can really feel the community spirit in and around Scotland’s first ‘dementia-friendly woodland’ that is also home to an orienteering course, a mountain bike track and a few lovely spots perfect for a wee picnic and a blether.
The weather wasn’t the best for a picnic on the day we visited, so we drove back home and treated ourselves to a very yummy family-size Taco Box by 3 Caballeros Catering Company that we collected from their HQ in Evanton earlier. Just the type of soul food you need after a dreich day on your #staycation as a #HameTownTourist!