Croick: Church, Broch and Wildlife

Croick brings together three layers of history: Croick Church, built in 1827, the memory of the Highland Clearances and the much older Croick Broch. The area is also home to diverse wildlife. This combination appeals to travellers who want to bring cultural history and nature together on one trip. If you’re looking for a holiday rental, these themes can help you decide whether Croick suits the focus of your trip.

Church, remembrance and broch

Croick Church was designed by Thomas Telford in 1827 and is one of the Parliamentary churches built that year. The Westminster government funded several of these churches to thank the Highlands for their contribution to the Napoleonic Wars. The building can therefore be understood both as a design by Telford and as part of a state-funded church-building programme. Information about the church’s history and significance is available at Croick Church; check before travelling whether a visit is currently possible.

The east window bears the names and signatures of people evicted from neighbouring straths in 1845 and from Gruinards in 1854. The separate place names distinguish two different experiences: 1845 refers to neighbouring straths, while 1854 refers to Gruinards. The names and signatures bring the human impact of the Highland Clearances into focus.

The remains of a Pictish broch, built around the time of Christ, lie immediately southwest of Croick Church. It is about 18.4 metres in diameter, with walls approximately 4.3 metres thick. These measurements give a sense of the scale of the structure, although its remains can be difficult to make out in the landscape. Their close proximity brings together two construction periods separated by a great span of time.

If you’re planning a visit with children, this offers a simple timeline: from the church built in 1827, through the evictions commemorated in the east window, back to the broch from around the time of Christ.

Wildlife and fishing

Wildlife in and around Croick includes golden eagles, white-tailed eagles, red deer, lapwings, curlews, golden plovers, squirrels, salmon and trout. The range includes birds of prey and waders as well as mammals and fish, so the nature theme extends beyond a single group of animals.

Croick Estate is designated as a fishing beat on the River Blackwater. If you’re planning to fish as another way to enjoy nature, check in advance whether the beat is currently accessible.

Choose a holiday rental to suit your interests

When choosing a holiday rental, you can start with the focus you want: the church, the east window and the nearby broch make up the historical focus, while wildlife and the fishing beat add a nature and activity element. Croick is a specific destination to seek out if you want to bring this combination together in one place.

Discover more destinations: Struan, Evanton, Dundreggan, Fearn, Kyle, Bowermadden, Wick, Scarfskerry.

For the broader travel overview: Highland.