The stunning Scottish ‘isle’ with breathtaking views, that isn’t actually an island!

Scotland is full of stunning views and peaceful places. Its islands are known for their strong culture, tasty food, and the historic language of Scottish Gaelic.

There are around 790 islands in Scotland, but the one people call the 791st might be one of the most beautiful, even though it’s not actually an island. This hidden gem, just north of Inverness, is almost surrounded by water.

Although it’s called an “Isle”, it’s really a peninsula, not a true island. Even with the name mistake, the Black Isle does look dark, especially when seen from across the Beauly and Moray Firths.

Image credit: Photo © John Comloquoy (cc-by-sa/2.0)

The name probably comes from the rich, dark soil found there. And while it’s not really an island, the name “Black Isle” sounds much nicer than “Black Peninsula,” don’t you think?

Whatever it’s called, you can see the sea from nearly everywhere on the Black Isle, with the Beauly Firth to the south, Moray Firth to the south and east, and Cromarty Firth to the north.

There are also some really “charming” towns and villages to visit around the area.

Cromarty is filled with fancy Georgian houses and “cute” old fishermen’s cottages, while the village of Rosemarkie has a lovely beach and is known for ancient stones carved by the Picts.

Image credit: Photo © paddy heron (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Avoch is a small fishing village with rows of little houses and a pretty harbour, and Beauly on the far western edge has the ruins of a 13th-century priory.

But there’s more to the Black Isle than just its lovely villages.

It’s one of the best places in Scotland to see dolphins. Chanonry Point, between Fortrose and Rosemarkie, is known for its group of dolphins that live there.

At the far end of the point, a lighthouse still works today. The land stretches out into the Moray Firth, making it a great place to watch the sea and spot wildlife.

Remember - LeaveNoTrace!

As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!

Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.

Download the official APP!

Gain access to over 1,600 hidden gems and their co-ordinates all over the UK when you download our app. Add gems to your bucket-list and tick them off as you go along, as well as earn rewards/badges when you visit a certain amount.

Users will also have acess to over 9,000 parking spots across the UK as well as over 1,600 staycations in the UK.