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".