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Fyrish Monument Walk: The Jubilee Path Above Alness

The Fyrish Monument walk climbs the Jubilee Path from the free Fyrish car park to an 18th-century replica of an Indian gateway above the Cromarty Firth. Route, history and practical notes.

OutdoorSCOT 8 August 2026 9 min read

Quick Summary

  • The Fyrish Monument is an 18th-century folly on the hilltop of Cnoc Fyrish above Alness in Easter Ross — a full-size stone replica of the Gates of Negapatam, an Indian port captured by local landowner Sir Hector Munro in 1781
  • The walk is the Jubilee Path from the Fyrish car park — roughly 6.5km (4 miles) there and back with about 250–300m of ascent; allow 2 to 2.5 hours
  • Parking is free at the signed car park on the Boath road off the B9176; no toilets or other facilities
  • The view is the point: the whole Cromarty Firth laid out below, oil rigs at Invergordon, the Black Isle beyond, and Ben Wyvis filling the skyline behind you
  • It's an easy NC500 detour — Alness sits just off the A9 leg of the route, and this is a far better leg-stretch than another viewpoint lay-by

Drive the A9 along the Cromarty Firth and look up to the north: on a hilltop above Alness stands what appears to be a ruined Indian gateway, arches and towers silhouetted against the sky. It isn't ruined and it was never a fortress — it's the Fyrish Monument, one of Scotland's oddest and best-loved follies, and the short forest climb to reach it is one of the finest half-day walks in Easter Ross.

Quick Answer: The Fyrish Monument walk follows the signed Jubilee Path from the free Fyrish car park on the minor Boath road, off the B9176 Struie road just north of Alness. It's roughly 6.5km (4 miles) there and back with about 250–300m of climbing — allow 2 to 2.5 hours. The monument, commissioned in 1782 by Sir Hector Munro as a replica of the Gates of Negapatam in India, stands on open hilltop at a shade over 450m with the whole Cromarty Firth spread out below.

What the Fyrish Monument actually is

The monument is a line of stone arches and round towers built along the summit ridge of Cnoc Fyrish, the hill directly above Alness. It was commissioned in 1782 by Sir Hector Munro of Novar, the local landowner, who had made his name — and his fortune — as a general in India. The design is a deliberate replica of the Gates of Negapatam, the gateway of a port on the south-east coast of India that Munro captured for the British in 1781.

So far, so much a rich man's victory lap. What gives Fyrish its better story is why the work happened at all. The 1780s were desperate years in Easter Ross, and building a large stone monument on a hilltop gave paid work to local people who badly needed it. Local legend goes one further: Munro is said to have had the stones rolled back down the hill overnight so the job would take longer and the wages keep coming. Historians can't confirm that detail — treat it as folklore that says something true about how the monument is remembered. Either way, hauling stone to the top of a 450m hill was hard-earned money.

The result is unlike anything else on a Scottish hilltop: pointed arches flanked by great cylindrical towers, built from local stone, standing completely exposed on open moor. It photographs absurdly well at sunrise and sunset, which is why it has quietly become one of the most-shared summits in the Highlands.

The walk: the Jubilee Path

The standard route — and the only one you need — is the Jubilee Path, which leaves directly from the Fyrish car park.

Getting to the start: from the A9 at Alness, take the B9176 Struie road north, then turn left onto the minor road signed for Boath. The car park is on the left after about a mile, purpose-built and signed. Parking is free, and there are no facilities of any kind — no toilets, no café, no bin lorry comes up here. Alness, ten minutes back down the hill, has everything you need before or after.

The route itself:

  1. Through the gate and into the forest. The Jubilee Path is signed from the car park and climbs steadily through tall pine plantation. The gradient is honest but never brutal — this is a walk, not a slog.
  2. Straight across the forestry track. Partway up, the path crosses a forest road at a marker post. Keep straight on; the vehicle tracks hereabouts belong to the timber operation, not the route.
  3. The steps and the footbridge. The path drops briefly down a flight of stone steps, crosses a burn on a footbridge, and climbs the steps on the far side. This dip is the only re-ascent of the day and it's small.
  4. Out of the trees. The path climbs clear of the forest and the views open behind you — first Alness and the firth, then more of it with every step. The monument appears ahead on the skyline and the last stretch crosses open hillside to reach it.

The return is the same way, which sounds dull and isn't: the whole descent faces the Cromarty Firth, so the view you earned is in front of you the entire way down.

Numbers: roughly 6.5km (4 miles) there and back, with about 250–300m of ascent depending on the line you take at the top. Most people do it in 2 to 2.5 hours at an amble with photo stops. Trail shoes are fine in summer; the path is well-made but carries water after rain, and the stone steps get greasy — boots are the better call from autumn to spring.

The view from the top

For 250-odd metres of climbing, the summit panorama is out of all proportion. The Cromarty Firth lies directly below, with the Invergordon deep-water port and its parked oil rigs — one of the stranger juxtapositions in Highland viewing, an 18th-century Indian gateway framing 21st-century heavy industry. Beyond the firth is the Black Isle, and on a clear day the Moray coast beyond that. Turn round and Ben Wyvis fills the western skyline — the big rounded Munro that dominates every view in this corner of Easter Ross.

Sunrise and sunset are the photographers' slots, and the monument's arches face usefully for both. If you're up late in the season, this is also a genuinely good aurora spot on an active night — dark sky to the north over the Struie, and the arches as a foreground. Check the northern lights page for the live alert before you commit to a cold hilltop.

When to go

Fyrish works year-round, which few Highland walks honestly do:

  • Spring and early summer — fresh forest, long light, and Easter Ross is one of the drier corners of the Highlands.
  • High summer — fine, and noticeably less midgey than the west coast; the east side's drier, breezier climate keeps the pressure moderate even in July. Dawn and dusk in still weather still want repellent.
  • Autumn — the larch and birch fringes colour well, and clear cold days give the sharpest firth views.
  • Winter — the path is walkable in most conditions and the low height keeps it out of serious winter territory, but the stone steps ice up and the summit is completely exposed to wind. Short daylight suits it: it's a two-hour walk, not an expedition.

The NC500 detour case

Alness sits just off the A9 on the North Coast 500's opening leg north from Inverness, and Fyrish is the best leg-stretch on that stretch of road — a real summit, a real story and a real view, two hours car to car, ten minutes off the route. If you're driving north with a day of sitting ahead, this beats another coffee stop in a lay-by by a distance. The car park is small, though — on fine summer weekends it fills, so treat an early start as part of the plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Fyrish Monument walk take?

Most people take 2 to 2.5 hours for the round trip — roughly 6.5km (4 miles) there and back with about 250–300m of climbing on the Jubilee Path. It is a steady forest climb rather than a scramble, and fit walkers jog it in half that.

Where do you park for the Fyrish Monument?

At the Fyrish car park on the minor road towards Boath, signed off the B9176 Struie road just north of Alness. Parking is free and the signed Jubilee Path leaves directly from the car park. There are no toilets, no machine and no other facilities — Alness, ten minutes away, has the shops.

Why was the Fyrish Monument built?

Sir Hector Munro of Novar, a general who made his name in India, commissioned it in 1782 as a replica of the Gates of Negapatam, an Indian port he had captured for the British in 1781. Building it gave paid work to local people at a time of real hardship — and local legend says Munro had the stones rolled back downhill to keep the work going longer. That last part is folklore rather than documented fact.

Is the Fyrish Monument walk suitable for children and dogs?

Yes — it is one of the best short family hill walks in Easter Ross. The path is clear and well-walked, with stone steps and a footbridge along the way; the climb is steady rather than steep. Keep dogs under close control, on leads near livestock and during ground-nesting season, as anywhere on Scottish hill ground.

Can you get to Fyrish without a car?

It's harder but possible. Alness railway station on the Far North Line is about 5km from the car park, so walking from the station turns the outing into a longer full walk — there is no bus to the trailhead itself. Most visitors drive.

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This article is for informational purposes only. Conditions, access arrangements and parking provision can change — check locally before travelling, especially in winter. OutdoorSCOT is not liable for any incidents arising from the use of this information.

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