Saturday 19th February 2022

A walk round the Rosehaugh Estate near Avoch (5.2 miles).


Mairi asked us to go for a walk with her round Rosehaugh Estate. Information about Rosehaugh House can be found on Avoch’s Heritage website.


The morning started with heavy snow falling and freezing temperatures. I couldn’t drive up the Brae in Alness to get to Mairi’s house. She came down a bit to our car. We drove over to Rosehaugh in my old Fusion picking up Asher’s cakes at the Spar in Munlochy. We parked in the wee car-park beside the Roshaugh Burn and left at about 9.45. We passed the most enormous Redwood Trees.


And snowdrops were out.




This is where Rosehaugh House once stood. I can’t believe it was demolished in my life-time.




Here I must be standing in the House.




Anne and Mairi. What a lovely morning after the heavy snow.


The old stables.


We passed this old gate.




We stopped for a picnic in some sunlight along here – the Bog of Shannon Wood.


A view out to Mount Eagle where the TV mast is.


We came onto the Avoch – Killen road and headed down to Avoch.
















On the outskirts of Avoch we came onto Rosehaugh Drive and past Fletcher Place; significant names! James Douglas Fletcher was the owner of the estate who had the massive improvements done to the house. When I was a boy and stayed with my grand-uncle and granny at Newhall our neighbour and boyhood friend was the late David Mackay. I remember him telling me there had been an aquarium in the ceiling! I can’t believe of the old threesome Martin, David and myself only I am left. We headed along a track at the end of Rosehaugh Drive to East Lodge.










What wonderful old buildings.












This is looking to Bennetsfield where my MacIntosh ancestors once farmed.




Back at the carpark and a signpost to show the route.


By the time we got back to the car at about 11.50 a lot of the snow had thawed away.


A beautiful morning for a late winter walk. We headed home.