Wester Mandally

Settlement in Inverness-shire

Scotland

Wester Mandally

The Well of the Seven Heads Credit: Tim Glover

Wester Mandally is a charming rural village located in the county of Inverness-shire, Scotland. Situated amidst the stunning Scottish Highlands, this idyllic settlement offers breathtaking natural beauty and a tranquil atmosphere for its residents and visitors alike.

Surrounded by rolling hills, lush green meadows, and picturesque valleys, Wester Mandally is a haven for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers. The village is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including deer, birds of prey, and the occasional glimpse of a red squirrel. Explorers can enjoy hiking, cycling, and walking trails that meander through the surrounding countryside, providing opportunities to discover hidden lochs and ancient ruins.

Despite its rural setting, Wester Mandally is within easy reach of amenities and services. The nearby town of Inverness, located approximately 10 miles to the east, offers a wide range of shopping centers, restaurants, and entertainment options. Inverness also provides excellent transport links, including a train station and an airport, making it convenient for both domestic and international travel.

Wester Mandally itself is a small community with a close-knit population. The village exudes a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, where neighbors often gather for social events and local festivals. The traditional Highland culture is celebrated through music, dance, and storytelling, with regular ceilidhs and concerts held in the village hall.

Overall, Wester Mandally is a hidden gem in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, offering a peaceful and picturesque lifestyle in harmony with nature.

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Wester Mandally Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 57.066177/-4.8060794 or Grid Reference NH2900. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

The Well of the Seven Heads

Tim Glover

Old railway line, by Loch Oich

This was the route of the Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway. The line closed in 1947, and since then it had been largely disused and overgrown. It has now been cleared and resurfaced - it opened earlier this year as part of National Cycle Network Route 78 and the Great Glen Way. It is a fairly smooth, compacted gravel path, so easy to cycle along. This part is in a bit of a cutting, with steep rocks to the right. Also some mixed woodland on either side.

Craig Wallace

Highland cattle beside Loch Oich

View southward on A82 just south of Invergarry.

Ben Brooksbank

Tobar nan Ceann

Well of The Seven Heads Monument (Tobar nan Ceann) Link

Chris McAuley

Resting Kayaks

Kayaks on the banks of Loch Oich.

Chris McAuley

Former railway route by Loch Oich

The Great Glen Way now follows much of the former railway as far as Aberchalder. Quite a bit of work has been done to stabilise the cutting sides in places.

Jim Barton

On the Great Glen Way by Loch Oich

Easy walking on the old railway route on the E side of the loch.

Jim Barton

Railway Trackbed above Loch Oich

Section of the course of the former railway between Fort Augustus and Spean Bridge. It has been recently upgraded and refurbished to accommodate the Great Glen Way National Trail.

Chris Heaton

Course of the Old Railway above Loch Oich (1)

Now adopted by the Great Glen Way National Trail - a new lease of life for the former railway that ran between Spean Bridge and Fort Augustus

Chris Heaton

Course of the Old Railway above Loch Oich (2)

Chris Heaton

Landslide protection from stone-filled gabions

Alongside the old Invergarry to Fort Augustus railway track, and the route of the Great Glen Way

Tim Heaton

'Health and Safety' gone mad?

I count eleven pairs of railings visible in this picture of part of the restored trackbed of the Invergarry to Fort Augustus railway. The railings align with concrete drainage culverts. But the likelihood of injury from falling off the track at these points is surely no greater than at any other (non-railinged) part of the track.

Tim Heaton

Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway

The trackbed along the shores of Loch Oich. Here gabions are being used to protect the trackbed from landslides on the steep slopes above. The trackbed has recently been cleared and used as the Great Glen Way.

Richard Webb

Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway

The railway, over engineered in an area of limited population was a financial disaster. More over engineering is apparent in the conversion to a path - every culvert has railings, yet you are just as likely to come to grief on any other part of the track. The rails to trails conversion is very welcome, taking out a long stretch of hostile A82.

Richard Webb

Loch Oich

View from the Great Glen Way on the trackbed of the Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway.

Richard Webb

Well of the Seven Heads

A Category B listed monument [Link

], dating from 1812, which commemorates the murder of two sons of the 12th MacDonald of Keppoch in 1663. The murderers (seven in total) were found and executed in 1665 and their heads washed in the spring here before being shown to the clan chief. The monument sits beside the A82 on the shore of Loch Oich.

Richard Sutcliffe

Monument at Well of the Seven Heads

Named on OS maps as Tobar nan Ceann the monument is above an actual well which lies below the retaining wall. It's not obvious in the image from the distance at which it was recorded that the finial to the obelisk is a cluster of seven heads carved in stone, held by a hand which also holds a knife. The actual heads belonged to the (supposed?) murderers of two MacDonald brothers who were put to death in a revenge attack.

Trevor Littlewood