Slochd Military Road

The route starts on the road toward Kinveachy Lodge, passes under the railway, then crosses the A9 before turning northwest onto the old road through forest. After about 5 km it meets a narrow road and a gate; if the gate is shut, a described option follows the road northeast to National Cycle Network route 7, which rejoins the military road. The descent beyond is steep and stone-laid, and can be greasy when wet. Sluggan Bridge carries the route over the River Dulnain. Near Insharn, the cycle route turns north while the old road heads west, crosses a small stone arch bridge and climbs beside woodland. It goes under the railway and follows the old A9 into Slochd Mor, then crosses the modern A9 again at the summit.

Beyond Slochd, the old road first serves as a communications-mast track, then fades into a shallow line across heather as it descends to the River Findhorn at Raigbeg. Parts are washed out or hard to follow; where the old road has become a deep, gorse-filled trench, shorter heather beside it may be easier. Keep a map or navigation track ready for this open section.

The military road between Dunkeld and Inverness was built from 1728 to 1730 under General Wade. Much of it now lies beneath the A9, but the Slochd section survives on another alignment. Sluggan Bridge was built at Major Caulfeild’s instigation in 1764 to replace a ford, destroyed in a flood and rebuilt five years later. A later direct road between Carrbridge and Slochd bypassed the bridge and the southern section. The large stones on higher stretches were probably line-of-sight markers and aids to winter travel. At Sluggan Bridge, include the arch with the River Dulnain in the frame to show how the old road crossed the valley.