Discover Contin: History, Trails and Special Places

Contin combines an impressive history with short walking trails, longer hiking experiences and tranquil landscapes. Anyone looking for holiday accommodation in Contin can shape their stay around very different interests: discovering historic places, walking through pine and heather woodland, circling the Island of Contin or experiencing the surroundings of Loch Achilty. This combination offers many possibilities for families and travel groups with different ideas about their holiday, allowing them to enjoy shared days at different paces.

Church, Smiddy and Traces of the Past

A notable cultural landmark is Contin Parish Church. The listed Category B church in its present form dates from the 18th century. Its simple rendered masonry originates from a pre-Reformation church and incorporates late-medieval structural elements. Its history goes back even further: in AD 690, Contin Parish Church was founded by St Maelrubha on an island in the Blackwater, the Abhainn Dubh. Different eras therefore meet at this site, making a visit particularly interesting for travellers who enjoy combining landscapes with cultural history.

Contin's Smiddy also tells of the village's craftworking past. It was used as a smithy until the early part of the 21st century. The remains of a Neolithic chambered cairn around 5,000 years old can also be found at Preas Mairi. Among the stones still visible is one with three large, bowl-sized depressions.

Trails for Short and Extended Excursions

The Black Water Trail is suitable for a short excursion. The trail is 0.7 kilometres long and takes around 15 minutes. It runs mostly flat through a pine forest and has a wide, smooth gravel surface. A few short, gentle inclines are also part of the route. The trail fits easily into a day when there is still time for further discoveries alongside some exercise.

If you prefer a longer route, you can plan in the View Rock Trail. The approximately 4.5-kilometre route leads through pine and heather woodland to a rocky viewpoint overlooking Strathconon. You should allow around two hours for the route. This gives it a different pace from the short Black Water Trail. Another scenic path leads around the Island of Contin and is 1.5 kilometres long. Depending on your preferred itinerary, you can choose between short trails, a longer woodland route and a circuit around the island.

Loch Achilty and the History of the Place

Loch Achilty is located in the surroundings of Contin. There you will find a pebble beach and peaceful picnic spots among birch trees, rowan trees and heather. This place complements the historic and woodland experiences with a tranquil landscape setting. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house for your trip, you can therefore consider whether cultural discoveries, walking trails or peaceful stays in the countryside should be the main focus.

The period of the Second World War is also part of the area's history. During 1942 and 1943, independent Norwegian mountain companies were stationed in Contin, Dingwall and Nigg. An online exhibition about the Norwegians in Contin during the Second World War is available on the ARCH website. Photographs connected with King Haakon's visit in July 1943 show the King at a war memorial while troops parade past.

Guidance for Planning Your Trip

A local leaflet about the Island of Contin presents the island's trails and also highlights the history, folklore and wildlife of the village. The printed edition is available at the Contin shop, the Coffee Bothy and the Coul House Hotel.

If you would like to visit further destinations in addition to Contin, here is a compact selection: Kyleakin, Keiss, Invergarry, Scarfskerry, Lochinver, Foyers, Ardgay and Golspie.

For the wider travel overview: Highland.