Culloden Battlefield Site
Balloch lies adjacent to the site of the Battle of Culloden, fought in 1746. This is a battlefield site of international importance and a major visitor attraction throughout the year.
The next road, diverging to the right, will conduct in a straight line to the west end of the small village of Balloch of Culloden. From the east end of the village it ascends the face of the ridge, passing by and by through a young fir plantation, and at the top through a belt of older planting.
Having surmounted the ascent and proceeded a few hundred yards, the road strikes across the Moor, running through some young fir and larch plantations emerges on the district-road from Inverness after having crossed a track which, it may be observed is the remains of a road made by Lord Lovat from Dalcross Castle to his property in Stratherrick.
This latter was the only roadway at the time of the battle through the Moor, which was then, too, quite bare, though with a number of cottars' huts scattered over it.
from www.queenofscots.co.uk/culloden
Cumberland Stone, Culloden Battlefield
The Cumberland Stone, adjacent to the Culloden Battlefield site and just outside Balloch Parish.
This huge glacial erratic boulder, approx 5 feet high and 50 feet around is associated in legend with the Duke of Cumberland at the Battle of Culloden.
Similar stones in other parts of the UK once served as pre-historic tribal boundary markers (eg Cloch Rhoderick in Strathclyde) and it is certainly too prominent to ever have been ignored.
Clootie Well, also known as Culloden Well
Visited especially on the first Sunday in May, (at its height between the World Wars a big holiday with buses running from Inverness for visitors) this well in Smithton, just outside Balloch, is one of a number of Clootie wells in Scotland (and Cornwall) where people tie pieces of cloth and make small offerings.
The Clootie Well, and the Prisoners’ Stone, and Culloden Battlefield - from the Guardian
For those interested in Holy Wells there is also the Clootie Well near Munlochy on the Black Isle and also, Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has both offerings of coins and clooties.
Very difficult to date cult and religious practices but the Clootie Well may have been in ritual use since pre-historic times.
When used at the clootie wells in Scotland and Ireland, the pieces of cloth are generally dipped in the water of the holy well and then tied to a branch while a prayer of supplication is said to the spirit of the well - in modern times usually a saint, but in pre-Christian times a goddess or local nature spirit.
This is most often done by those seeking healing, though some may do it simply to honour the spirit of the well.
In either case, many see this as a probable continuation of the ancient Celtic practice of leaving votive offerings in wells or pits.
The Clootie Well, and the Prisoners’ Stone, and Culloden Battlefield - from the Guardian
For those interested in Holy Wells there is also the Clootie Well near Munlochy on the Black Isle and also, Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has both offerings of coins and clooties.
The Clootie Well
On the way up the hill- face, but on the west side of the burn in the birch wood near the top of the hill, there is a very fine enclosed chalybeate well, called Tobar Mhoire or Mary's Well. It is much resorted to by lads and lasses from Inverness on the first Sunday of May
Fort George
Castle Stuart
Cawdor Castle
Culloden House and Gardens, Culloden Woods, Lord President’s Seat
Culloden House
Just outside Balloch is Culloden House (now a hotel) and its ice house and doo-cot both just by Barn Church Road. Balloch Village was closely associated with Culloden House in former times
www.cullodenhouse.co.ukPennant referred to 'the great plantations of Culloden House' (Pennant, 1772), said to have been planted in the 1720s (Old Statistical Account, 1793).
Forbes' mansion house was demolished between 1772-83, when a new house was built for Arthur Forbes. It incorporated the vaults of the earlier house. The walled garden, doocot and stables are contemporary with this existing house. Statues decorating the quadrant walls on the north-east garden front of the house represent 'Zenonia', 'Odenetus', 'Cato', and 'Scipio'.
This may allude to the Stoic ideas of reason and virtue, the Forbes' political role (equated with that of Odenetus who was entrusted with the protection of Rome's Eastern empire) and his criticisms of the government, the ideal of the balanced constitution and the ideal statesman.
The naming of the 'Lord President's Seat', a rock outcrop in Culloden Wood may date to this time. (See historic Scotland )
Pedestrians can most effectively shorten the walking distance (6 miles) from Inverness to the Culloden battlefield, by taking the Highland railway train to Culloden Moor Station, about a mile east of Cumberland's stone. But very pleasant walks can be had by approaching the Moor from Allanfearn Station, about three miles north-west of the stone.
Two alternative routes present themselves. One way is to pass the Allanfearn farm offices above the Station, and turn to the right along a road running west, lined by an avenue of trees, then by a cross road to the left, which will lead past the Mains of Culloden farm-offices, and thence by the west end of the lawn in front of the mansion house, past the stables, and between them and the dog-kennel, and by a broad woodland pathway on the east side of a burn course, slantingly up to the right through a birch wood, at one time covering the hill-face but now partly cut down.
This path crosses the Inverness to Aviemore railway by a bridge on which is left in situ a stone known as the "President's Seat," and conducts to the farm of Black Park, at the west end, and south of the birch wood, and near the public road from Inverness, less than half-a-mile west of the Stable Hollow house.
The distance may be shortened by, towards the middle of the ascent, holding right up the hill and crossing the Moor ground to the west end of the fir and larch plantation, or to the Stable Hollow house.
Behind one of the small farm-houses, also in Stable Hollow, and next to "King's Stables," on the way in this direction, not far from the planting, a large protruding boulder will be seen, where the country people concur in saying one of the Prince's cannon was planted.
Ice House
Standing nearly opposite the Doocot is the Culloden Ice-House used to store great quantities of ice for use by the house all the year round
Doocot
Culloden House would use the birds for the table
Culloden, (Nairn River ) Viaduct
1893 –8 Culloden Railway viaduct over the River Nairn was built. Engineers were John Fowler and Murdoch Paterson. Many people moved to the area to work on its construction. Several people died during its construction.
Fuaran a'chleirich
(fuaran ,a spring, chleirich, a priest (cleric))
The Well in Wellside Road
The Barn Church
Culloden Barn Church, Church of Scotland ( As well as Church info it contains a very good history of the building built originally in 1729).
Leanach Mission Church
The people in the Culloden Moor area are served by Leanach Mission Church, which was erected in 1907 at a cost of £260. Services are conducted here in the evening of every alternate Sunday, from March to the end of October. From 20 to 30 people attend the services. An evening service is also held on alternate Sundays in the school at Brin. (1952). From.. http://www.strathnairnheritage.org.uk.
see…. Worshipping in churches made of iron resolve.
The Church, which is similar to many others delivered as a ‘kit’, is now re-erected at the Newtonmore Highland Folk Museum having been dismantled in 1985.
Also at Newtonmore is an example of a Highland School in the period of the 1930’s and 40’s and this matches descriptions we have of the old school at Balloch
Allanfearn Railway Station
The nearest railway station to Balloch was Allanfearn on the Inverness Nairn line, this closed in 1965, it was also the scene of a tragic fatal accident in 1957.
The Balloch Cairns
Balloch is fortunate in having many ancient remains in the parish and the immediate vicinity, probably the most prominent being the three cairns that are visible from the A96.
Please see the cairns page for a full description.
Clava Cairns
About 1 ½ miles from Balloch is the site of the prehistoric Clava Cairns, comprising two passage graves, a ring cairn and other features all in a beautiful setting at Balnuaran.