If you choose Muir of Ord as your destination, you can plan your stay around a specific focus: the Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery is located in Muir of Ord, Ross-shire, and offers guided tours year-round. There are also whisky tastings, a golf course and recurring events. The main difference between these offerings is their timing: distillery tours are available all year, while events take place on dates in July and August.
Whisky around the Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery
The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery offers guided tours and whisky tastings. You can focus your distillery visit on a tour, a tasting or both as separate interests. The year-round availability of guided tours gives you more flexibility when choosing when to travel than an event tied to a specific date. For guests with a particular interest in whisky, the distillery provides a clear focus for their stay.
Visitors can also use the distillery’s bar and deli on its opening days. Menus and hours may change. If these offerings are important to your daily plans, it is best to check the distillery’s current information.
Events in July and August
The Annual Black Isle Show takes place every year on the first Thursday in August; the showground is in Muir of Ord. The Gala Festival is held annually in mid-July and lasts nine days. Its dates may vary. The two events offer different timeframes: a single Thursday in August and a multi-day festival period in mid-July. If either event is the reason for your trip, check the specific dates for the year you plan to visit before setting your travel dates.
There is a specific travel time for getting to the Black Isle Show: it is a 20-minute walk from Muir of Ord railway station to the showground. If you plan to make this walk on the day of the event, you can allow for it as a separate part of your day.
Golf and a historic landmark
Muir of Ord Golf Club welcomes visiting golfers. Its course has 18 holes and was extended by James Braid in the 1920s. These details combine a clearly defined sporting focus with a historical connection to the course’s development. For visitors who want to play golf during their stay, the club is a specific place to go; at the same time, its development history gives the course its own historical context.
Castle Hill is also a named cultural landmark: it is designated as a Scheduled Monument with the identifier 1665. This designation adds a historical perspective to the range of activities. When planning, you can weigh up whisky, golf, events and a heritage-related theme, depending on which focus matters most for your trip.
Plan your stay around the occasion
When looking for a hotel in Muir of Ord, it can help to decide first what brings you there. For the Black Isle Show or the Gala Festival, check the dates of the events; guided distillery tours are available year-round. This offers a practical distinction between a trip tied to a specific event and a stay with more flexibility in your choice of season. Choose your travel dates based on whether the event or the distillery is your main focus.
Discover more destinations: Whitefield, Applecross, Glenfinnan, Culbokie, Isle of Skye, Aviemore, Staffin, Mallaig.
For the broader travel overview: Highland.
