Strathpeffer

Strathpeffer (Gaelic Srath Pheofhair) is a village in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands, with a population of 1040 in 2020. It has sulphurous springs and grew up in the 19th century as a spa resort, served by a branch railway line. Fashions changed and the railway closed in 1951, but the attractive Victorian village centre and railway station have been preserved.

Local information
Local information for Strathpeffer

Get in
Strathpeffer is 20 miles northwest of Inverness. By road follow A9 over Kessock Bridge (toll free) to Tore then take A835, which goes to Ullapool.

Dingwall, ten minutes away by bus, is the nearest railway station. Trains run here every hour or two from Inverness and branch either north to Thurso and Wick or west to Kyle of Lochalsh, for Skye. Inverness has trains from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, a daytime direct train from London Kings Cross, and the sleeper from London Euston.

Stagecoach Highlands Bus 27 runs M-Sa hourly from Inverness via Dingwall, taking an hour and continuing to Contin (for the hiking trail to Rogie Falls). Bus 28 runs to Dingwall.

Get around
The bus will get you to Contin, for the Falls of Rogie trailhead.

See

 * ("Sounding Stone" or "Eagle Stone") is 32 in (81 cm) tall. It has Pictish inscriptions from circa 600 AD and was originally further down the hill. It was moved here in 1411, perhaps to mark the clan battle of that year. Or perhaps they were taking seriously the prophecy that if the stone fell over 3 times, the valley would be inundated. It's fallen over twice so the prudent Council have set it in concrete
 * is a vitrified Pictish fort. It has burned so furiously that some of its stone has melted to glass. This is a common finding in Britain, and such forts were once thought to be volcanic or meteor impact craters. The conflict that led to so many torchings is unknown.
 * ("Sounding Stone" or "Eagle Stone") is 32 in (81 cm) tall. It has Pictish inscriptions from circa 600 AD and was originally further down the hill. It was moved here in 1411, perhaps to mark the clan battle of that year. Or perhaps they were taking seriously the prophecy that if the stone fell over 3 times, the valley would be inundated. It's fallen over twice so the prudent Council have set it in concrete
 * is a vitrified Pictish fort. It has burned so furiously that some of its stone has melted to glass. This is a common finding in Britain, and such forts were once thought to be volcanic or meteor impact craters. The conflict that led to so many torchings is unknown.
 * is a vitrified Pictish fort. It has burned so furiously that some of its stone has melted to glass. This is a common finding in Britain, and such forts were once thought to be volcanic or meteor impact craters. The conflict that led to so many torchings is unknown.
 * is a vitrified Pictish fort. It has burned so furiously that some of its stone has melted to glass. This is a common finding in Britain, and such forts were once thought to be volcanic or meteor impact craters. The conflict that led to so many torchings is unknown.

Do

 * Mountain biking. Plenty of trails in the surrounding countryside of forests, hills and mountains, including a race route nearby at Contin. Bikes can be bought, hired and repaired at Square Wheels in Strathpeffer Square (+44 1997 421000). Strathpuffer is a 24-hour endurance mountain bike race held in January, when it's dark for 17 of those hours. The next is probably 12-13 Jan 2025, tbc.
 * Hiking: see Walk Highlands for local hiking trails.
 * is half a mile north of the village. Open daily, visitors' Green Fee £30.
 * Strathpeffer and District Pipe Band parade here and in nearby villages in summer. Ask around, they're often here on Tuesday evenings.
 * Shinty: Caberfeidh play in the MOWI Premiership, the top tier. The playing season is Apr-Oct.
 * Strathpeffer Highland Gathering is held at Castle Leod, with the next on Sa 10 Aug 2024.

Buy

 * McColls is a convenience store in the Square, open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 8AM-10PM.

Eat

 * Museum Cafe is within the old railway station next to the Highland Museum of Childhood. Freshly-prepared Scottish lunches and snacks, home-baking, ice cream, tea and coffee. Eat in or outside on the station platform. It's open Apr-Oct: M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM; Nov-Mar: Th-Su 10AM-5PM.
 * Wee Swally Tearoom is in White Lodge, on the Square (see "Sleep"); use the side entrance in Church Brae. It's open Tu-Sa 11AM-4PM.
 * Wee Swally Tearoom is in White Lodge, on the Square (see "Sleep"); use the side entrance in Church Brae. It's open Tu-Sa 11AM-4PM.
 * Wee Swally Tearoom is in White Lodge, on the Square (see "Sleep"); use the side entrance in Church Brae. It's open Tu-Sa 11AM-4PM.

Drink

 * There isn't a pub, but some of the hotels have public bars, see "Sleep".
 * Singleton Distillery is at Muir of Ord, see Dingwall.

Connect
As of Aug 2022, Strathpeffer has a patchy 4G service from O2, but no other signal. Finish up any important calls before you get past Dingwall.

Go next

 * Dingwall five miles east has accommodation and public transport.
 * Inverness is the region's transport hub, a pleasant Victorian city. Four miles further east, Culloden saw the Jacobites crushed in 1746.
 * Ullapool is the only large settlement on the northwest coast and has ferries to Stornoway on Lewis.
 * Tain to the northeast has the Glenmorangie whisky distillery.
 * North Coast 500 is a motoring itinerary looping through Strathpeffer.