Herb Riddle's photos with the keyword: Black Isle

A look at the The Cromarty Bridge, a road bridge carrying the A9 over the Cromarty Firth in Scotland. It was opened in 1976 and is 1464 metres (4803 ft) long. We are almost back in Inverness now having travelled almost the whole of the NC500 route clockwise. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we arrive back to the Firth of Cromarty we take a break and in doing so spot these Common Seals. They are always a delight to see and watch and no doubt they are keeping an eye on us too even though I am some distance away. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we leave the Black Isle to start the NC500 proper, heading west across Scotland, we spy this oil/gas rig with its legs high above the water line in Cromarty Firth. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Invergordon, on the Cromarty Firth as seen from the north of the Black isle. Most famous for its Highland Whisky perhaps but now also a very popular cruise ship destination from where its passengers can tour the highlands and its distilleries. This is also one of Scotland's oil and gas rig assembly centres. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

The Fairy Glen in Rosemarkie sits just north of Channery Point on the Black isle. There are a number of waterfalls here but this stunner is clearly the best of them. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Channery Lighthouse. Channery Point is perhaps Black Isles most famous tourist hot-spot. Not for its attractive lighthouse but for the sighting of its dolphins. It is one of the best spots in the UK to view bottlenose dolphins from the land. The dolphins are often visible off Chanonry point, particularly on an incoming tide when they play and fish in the strong currents. Porpoise and seals are also seen here. We saw none but many people around us saw them! The lighthouse was established: 1846, Engineer: Alan Stevenson, Tower Height: 13 metres Light Range: 15 miles, Elevation: 12 metres, Automated: 1984 The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

The Black Isle is a peninsula just to the north of Inverness and Avoch Harbour on its SE coast is a very attractive spot on the way to Channery Point, perhaps Black Isles most famous tourist hot-spot. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.