Cononbridge Railway Bridge, Conon Bridge Henge and the Conon Estuary Beat represent different aspects of Cononbridge: railway architecture, archaeological traces and river fishing. When planning, it is worth keeping these points of interest separate: for the bridge, the dimensions and construction matter; for the henge, its enclosure and dating; and for fishing, the course of the beat and the conditions on the river.

Cononbridge Railway Bridge

Cononbridge Railway Bridge is a Category B listed building. This skew viaduct has four arches and five spans in total. Each individual span consists of four narrow, staggered arches. The bridge is 164.6 metres long overall and reaches a maximum height of 13.7 metres. These measurements offer two perspectives: the length and height describe the structure as a whole, while the spans and arches show how it is divided.

Henge and archaeological traces

Conon Bridge Henge is a well-preserved henge, or ritual enclosure, dating from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. The area enclosed by a ditch and an outer bank has a diameter of about 14.6 metres. On Station Road, the henge is a short distance past the turn-off to the railway station, on the left-hand side when travelling from Muir of Ord to Conon Bridge. Unlike the measurements for the bridge, these refer not to the entire structure but to the enclosed area.

The site of Logiebride Church, also known as Logie Wester, survives as a platform within the graveyard. The Conon Stone is a Pictish relic that was discovered by chance in 2019 in the graveyard at Logie Wester, near Conon Bridge. The two archaeological traces highlight different things: the church site survives as a platform, while the Conon Stone is a discovered relic.

The Conon Estuary Beat

The Conon Estuary Beat stretches for about 4 km, from the area below the railway bridge at Conon Bridge to the start of the Cromarty Firth. Salmon, grilse or sea trout can be fished in the upper section. The approximately 4 km refers to the entire beat, while the fish species mentioned are found in the upper section. These are different reference points to consider when planning a fishing trip. Access and river conditions may vary; permits and operating arrangements may change. Before fishing, check which permits and operating rules currently apply, and take the prevailing river conditions into account.

The Black Isle as a regional setting

The Black Isle broadens the scale from individual structures and archaeological sites to an entire peninsula. It is a long, narrow peninsula extending eastwards from the Highland settlements of Beauly, Muir of Ord and Conon Bridge to Cromarty at its northeastern tip. The Black Isle has forest trails that can be explored on foot or by bike; conditions on individual trails may change. For planning, this is a different focus from the historical topics described above: here, the emphasis is on a regional outdoor activity, either on foot or by bike.

Discover more destinations: Dores, Durness, Balmacara, Arisaig, Croy, Polloch, Isle Of Skye, Garve

For the broader travel overview: Highland.