St. Mary's Well, Smithton

Distance	Approximate Time	Height Gain	OS Map
3.22 kms	01:00 (hrs:mins)	75 metres	Explorer 416: Inverness, Loch Ness & Culloden

Description

This is a popular walk (particularly in early May, when the well is the object of a 'pilgrimage'). The paths are well laid out, although since a storm in September 2002, some of them are rough due to gullying and loose infilling, so boots would be most comfortable. You pass through majestic woodland and the 75m to be climbed are not all at once - there is much undulation. This is a good family walk.

Access Info

Take the B9006 east from Inverness and turn off left at 711444 for Smithton. The car park is at the bottom of the hill, on your right(718456).

There is a bus service from Inverness to Smithton; ask to get off at the Forestry Commission Offices, Smithton.

Additional Info

The well is known locally as the Clootie Well (cloutie=rag); tying a cloutie to a nearby tree gives you a wish and keeps the evil spirits away for a year...

Whilst so close, take a short, leisurely walk over the site of the last battle fought on British soil, Culloden Battlefield, on the B9006. Many Jacobite prisoners were executed in the week after the battle; one of the places of execution is on this walk.

The Prisoners' Stone on the other hand has nothing to do with good fortune... It is one of the many sites near Culloden Battlefield (Walk 1939) where Jacobite prisoners were executed in the days following the battle (1746). It's said that nearly 1000 were killed and records indicate that about 17 were shot at this stone.