Abriachan Forest Trust — Attraction in Inverness West

Abriachan is a scattered rural community of about 130 people set high above the shores of Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. There are still some active crofts but the majority of inhabitants are employed in Inverness and beyond. The local school closed in 1958 so Abriachan’s children now attend Dochgarroch Primary,  Charleston Academy and Glenurquhart High School. . In 1998 the community purchased 540 hectares of forest and open hill ground from Forest Enterprise. Since then, as a social enterprise, the Abriachan Forest Trust has managed this land to create local employment, improve the environment and encourage its enjoyment by the public through a network of spectacular paths, family suited mountain bike trails, innovative outdoor learning as well as health and well-being opportunities. . Abriachan Forest Trust’s initial aims of 1998 have not altered but have been surpassed through a variety of successful developments over the years. As part of the Millennium Forest for Scotland – reforesting the Great Glen with native species was the springboard for our community to…. Improve and sustain the biodiversity of the surrounding area through sensitive land and forest management. Create and support local employment. Encourage access for all, with ensuing health and well-being benefits. Provide and support outdoor learning opportunities for all. Increase community capacity. . I will be back here for more photography and also camping overnight. . Hope you enjoy my photos and...

This place is AWESOME. It was the highlight of my trip to Scotland. My husband and I were heading back to Inverness from Loch Ness and decided to take back roads. We stopped at The Falls of Divach and my husband said he found a cool nature park that had some quirky interesting things. It was an unplanned stop and I'm so glad we went. We arrived around 7 or so I'd say and stayed for well over a good hour. The camp/park was closed, after hours. We ran into only one other group of people. I got summer camp murder vibes from the area. The decorations and things around the camp had such a creepy eerey vibe. There seemed to be a fae or some paranormal super natural presence there. I'd recommend going off season or off hours. I ran through the forest rows, bopped around. I truly felt like a kid again....

A selection of very well maintained paths above Loch Ness. Walking absolutely all of them as a fit mountaineer on a day off, I managed to fill two and half very enjoyable hours. Sprinkled around are reconstructed buildings, some realistic some whimsical, and a collection of curious and rather good sculptures, artworks, and historical facts.

The more child/family/wheelchair friendly centre by the car park is engaging, nicely put together and looked great fun had I only been 30 years younger. Overall, the whole place exudes the kind of creativity and individualism that is increasingly rare in a focus-group driven world of 'outdoor leisure facilities'. To encounter this place randomly for the first time...