Heritage Path of the Month.
The Fish Road is our Heritage Path of the Month for October 2025, click here to view the details
More about The Fish Road:
Although the Fish Road runs to Little Garve, in the 1980s the A835 was realigned and now interrupts the south end of the right of way. Although still walkable from Little Garve, a suggested alternative start point to avoid crossing the A835 is the Silverbridge car park (NH401639), although it will still be necessary to walk southwest along the road verge. At NH400636 a forestry track is reached. Go northwest here, but very shortly at NH399637 turn southwest and generally west until at NH388635 the original route is joined. Go northwest through the forest along a good track for 2km and continue north out of the forest on the west side of Creagan an Eich Ghlais and past Lochan nam Breac.
The route continues north-northwest across a col, drops to cross the Allt Bad an t-Seabhaig and then goes northwest along a path through recently planted mixed trees. After crossing the next burn, the Allt Glac an t-Sidhean, make a gradual descent across very boggy ground in which only traces of the path are visible, and reach the Allt Giubhais Beag just above Aultguish Inn.
OS Landranger 20 (Beinn Dearg)
The British Fisheries Society built houses at Ullapool in summer 1788 establishing a successful base for a herring fishery. The Old Statistical Account (1791-1799) reported that in Ullapool there was “a red-herring house, where they cured last year 500 barrels fine red-herring”. The cured herring was usually sent to markets in Leith and Greenock, and sold at a high price.
Parliament and the British Fisheries Society subsequently supported the building of a road to carry fish from Ullapool to Dingwall; it was completed in 1797 and is shown on Arrowsmith’s map of 1807. The OSA refers to the route as excellent – “where lately nothing could be carried but in creels on horseback, carts and carriages can now travel with the greatest ease and expedition. This road consists of 38 miles and has cost government about £4500 including bridges, of which there must be a good many in its course”. However, this praise was premature, as the road fell quickly into disrepair as only twelve years later there were demands for its renewal, it appears that the road had been of poor quality and inadequately maintained. By 1835, the New Statistical Account refers to the road as having been for many years “not only useless, but dangerous, to foot passengers and riders on horseback; and to wheel carriages almost impassable”.
This old road was replaced by a newer road in 1840. The OS 6″ edition maps (first and second) clearly show the old road’s alignment running in relatively close proximity to the new line; the most notable exception to this is the section we describe here, from Aultguish to Garve.
More about Heritage Paths
Learn about the history of some of the oldest transport routes in Scotland. Heritage Paths records the history of over 400 routes that criss-cross the Scottish landscape. From Roman Roads to Military Roads, find out how the route you are following came into being.
As well as historical information, you’ll find a modern-day route description along with start and finish details. Change the background mapping in our interactive viewer and time travel along your favourite Heritage Path from 1843 to today.