The Black Isle is not an island. It is a fertile penninsula of land in Easter Ross, just north of the Highland capital of Inverness in Scotland. With the Beauly and Moray Firth to the south, and the Cromarty Firth to the north, the Black Isle only joins the rest of the land mass near Muir of Ord.

No-one knows where the name actually comes from, but it is thought that the term 'The Black Isle' is connected with the dense natural forest that once covered this area of land. No doubt the best farmland in the area, the rolling green hills of the Black Isle are home to many interesting places, some of which we show you here.

This is intended as a look around the Black Isle for those not familiar with the area, but does not display every place or village, merely a selection that could be included in a day trip around the Black Isle. To select a place, simply click on the name on the map above. We hope you enjoy this little journey around the beautiful Black Isle.

Planning a journey to the Black Isle? Book an Inverness Hotel online by clicking the link.

Beauly was laid out by Thomas Fraser of Strichen, Lord Lovat, in 1840. The village is a winner of the annual 'Britain in Bloom' competition, and the beautiful displays of flowers from spring through to autumn are a must-see for any visitor.

Situated near the mouth of the River Beauly and at the head of the Firth, Beauly, and the nearby Beaufort Castle is the home of the Frasers of Lovat. The monument in the village square was raised in 1905 to commemorate the raising of the Lovat Scouts for active service in the Boer War.

The priory at Beauly was established by Valliscaulian monks from Burgandy in 1230. Now a roofless ruin, it was altered in the middle ages and again in the 16th century when Robert Reid was Prior of Beauly. Partly restored in 1901 as a graveyard for the Mackenzies of Kintail, it is now a popular visitor attraction.

Beauly is very popular with visitors including coach trips and independent travellers. With a good choice of hotels, friendly locals, interesting sites to visit the town welcomes everyone. The flowers are spectacular in the tourist season which makes Beauly a great place to visit while in the north of Scotland.

Muir of Ord lies at the point where the Black Isle joins the Highland land mass. This is the crossing point of many important routes from the north and west, and during the 19th century the largest agricultural tryst in the north of Scotland was held here, where blacksmith services and buyers were readily available.

Nowadays, the Black Isle Show, an agricultural display show, is still held here and is ever popular. Thousands of people visit the Black Isle Show every year and it includes farming facilities and machinery, animal breeding contests and prizes plus a fairground, stalls and community dance!

The village centre and original square is made from a beautiful sandstone known as Tarradale Stone. No longer a small sleepy village, Muir of Ord has expanded rapidly into a sizeable residential village, but the expansion has come sometimes at a price of badly considered 20th century development, which has detracted from some parts of the village. However, an excellent golf course and many facilities make Muir of Ord well worth visiting for those travelling in the area.

Tore is well known in modern times as the major intersection in the centre of the Black Isle. There is a major roundabout at this point on the main A9, with junctions to Inverness to the south, Muir of Ord and Dingwall to the west, the Cromarty Firth & the north, and Munlochy and the rest of the Black Isle.

What must not be overlooked is that Tore is not just a major road junction, it is a small and pretty village in it's own right. There is a picturesque hotel and Tore is a good central point to reach out to the rest of the Black Isle. Nearby, on the road to Munlochy, is the Clootie Well, where wishes and cures are granted to those who hang a rag or piece of material in the nearby tree.

Cromarty is located at the seaward end of the Black Isle, at the mouth of the Cromarty Firth. It was once a Royal Burgh, and much of the village is original 18th century design, with little influence by modern-day architecture. It was also once an important port, with fishing and trade from the little harbour, built by Sir Thomas Ross of Pitkerie. However, as time marched on, the main coastal road and, perhaps more importantly, the railway, passed Cromarty by and the village became less relevant to traders.

Hugh Millers Cottage, dating from 1711 and now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, is open to the public and a major attraction in Cromarty. The house is fitted out in period design, as it was when Hugh Miller lived there. Miller was a well-known stonemason, geologist, preacher and journalist who was revered by such names as Andrew Carnegie.

Just across the Cromarty Firth is the Barmac oilrig contruction yard at Nigg, once the mainstay of Scotland's oil industry. There is still much work here, but the yard at Nigg is now a shadow of its former self in the days of the oil boom. The number of these rigs docked in the Cromarty Firth is said by some to be a good indication of the state of the Scottish oil industry. If the rigs are in the firth, they are not in the North Sea producing or exploring oil. Some are brought in for refitting, but some are merely 'parked' in the firth while not in use. The Cromarty Firth is deep and an excellent port which has played host to the QE2 among other super-liners.

Fortrose sits at the landward end of Chanory Point, a spit of land that protrudes into the Moray Firth. Almost opposite, as can be seen on the map on the Black Isle Menu page, is another spit of Land, on which Fort George is built.

The villages of Fortrose and Rosemarkie are side by side, with the village of Avoch (pronounced 'och') nearby. Chanory Point now holds a good golf course, but most locals are familiar with Chanory Point for another reason. It was here that Coinneach Odhar, or 'The Brahan Seer' was burned alive in Tar for his prophecy of the fall of the house of Seaforth.

A stone now marks the supposed spot, but there is real evidence to suggest a burning site some 100 meters away, just round the corner from the present site. The Brahan Seer is a well-known local prophet, and both himself and his predictions are mingled between the worlds of myth and reality.

The small fishing villages of Fortrose, Rosemarkie and Avoch are a highlight of the Black Isle, and are sure to delight the visitor. The word 'Ross' is another name for a promontory, and it is from this that the word 'Rose' in Fortrose and Rosemarkie is derived.

Just across the water is the massive and imposing Fort George, built after the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion. With sea on three sides, and the ability to flood the surrounding channels with sea water, the defences of Fort George have never been tested, but Dr Johnson, of Johnson and Boswell fame, declared it "the most regular fortification in the island of Great Britain".

Munlochy is a quiet and peaceful village, near Munlochy bay and surrounded by fertile arable farmland. The basic facilities for the tourist are available, including a hotel, shop, post office, bed & breakfast establishments and a garage.

The village is small but has a beautiful church and is well worth a visit while you are touring the Black Isle. The people are friendly, the atmosphere is relaxing and the rolling farmland around the village has a beauty all its own.

Munlochy has become much more popular in the last two decades thanks to the erection of the Kessock Bridge, joining the Black Isle with Inverness, Scotland. Whereas in the past you would have to drive right around the Beauly Firth to reach Inverness it is now just a short drive away. Hence Munlochy has become popular with commuters as have other villages on the Black Isle.

Dingwall is situated at the head of the Cromarty Firth, and is the market town for Easter Ross. When the Vikings came here, they replaced the old name of Inverpeffery or Innerfeoran with Thing Vollr, which means 'field of the parliament'. Dingwall is what this Norse name has become.

The old A9, the main north-south road, used to pass through Dingwall as well as Muir of Ord and Beauly, but is now routed to the east since the constuction of the Cromarty Bridge across the Cromarty Firth, and the Kessock Bridge across the Beauly Firth. Dingwall is also said to be the birthplace of Macbeth.

There was once a castle here, built by William the Lion, which in the 13th and 14th centuries became the home of the Earls of Ross, but now nothing of it remains. The Mercat Cross stands outside the Tolbooth and Town House, which date from the early 18th century, with parts of much older buildings. Now a vibrant little town, Dingwall has much to offer the visitor.

Dingwall has recently undergone a series of vast improvements, with the cattle and sheep mart being moved out of town to make way for a new Tesco superstore. In addition, a new business park and brand new school have added great facilitoes to this ancient market town in Ross-Shire. Dingwall is an excellent place to live with low crime, free parking and access to most facilities. Inverness is a short 20 minute drive away.