River Oich

A great place for a family picnic and a gentle stroll

Picnic by the enchanting River Oich and explore an easy trail through the pretty woodland nearby. It loops through the trees and returns along the river bank. This is a good place for spotting wildlife or just listening to birdsong and the dreamy sound of flowing water.

Take a look at our map to explore River Oich and other forests in this stunning area.

Walking trails

River Oich route card (PDF)

Walking

River Oich Trail (closed)

A trail notice is in effect

August 2024: the River Oich car park and a short section of the River Oich Trail have been reopened. Further sections are still closed for harvesting of the wind damaged trees. Please follow the arrows for the trail route and all safety signage. We hope to open more as harvesting progresses.

Follow the beautiful River Oich through towering Norway spruce, larch and Scots pine, and look for squirrels, otters and water birds.

Uneven earth and grass surface with exposed tree roots. Some rough, narrow and muddy sections. Generally flat with some short steep slopes. Riverside path floods in heavy rain.

3 ¾ miles / 6.2 km

Allow 2 hours

More information

There's plenty of wonderful wildlife to spot on this family-friendly trail. Red squirrels forage for food in the woods and water birds like cormorants and goosanders visit the nearby canal. Walk quietly along the smooth grassy banks of the River Oich (just begging for a picnic!) and you may even see an otter. You can also follow the trail from the Torr Dhuin car park.

Facilities and access

Walking

Parking

Picnic area

You'll find the nearest toilets and places to eat in Fort Augustus.

Car parking information

There is no charge to park in this car park. Please park with care and consideration. In particular please park in designated parking areas only and do not block entrances or gates.

More about parking

Getting here

From the centre of Fort Augustus head north towards Inverness. Before leaving the village you'll see a signpost to Jenkins Park and Auchteraw on the left hand side. Turn left up the steep hill and then left again after the play park. At the fork in the road keep left and continue for ½ mile (800 metres) until you see a green Forestry Commission sign for Torr Dhuin and the River Oich trails. Turn left here: the River Oich car park is at the end of the road (grid reference NH 365 089).

Using SatNav?

PH32 4BT is the nearest postcode, just before the fork in the road.

Public transport

The Inverness to Fort William bus service stops in Fort Augustus, about 1½ miles (2.4 km) from the start of the trails. See Traveline Scotland for details of bus services.

Get directions