It is a ferry that carries everything from cars to former military vehicles, but with a twist - there’s only space for two and drivers have to reverse off at journey’s end. The summer-only route between Cromarty and Nigg has the honour of being the only one on Scotland’s east coast. Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
It also provides travellers, for four months of the year, with a direct link from the northern tip of the Black Isle across the Cromarty Firth to the Easter Ross peninsula - avoiding a large detour via the Cromarty Bridge near Dingwall to the west. That helps swell the influx of visitors to the thriving but otherwise isolated community of Cromarty, whose elegant 18th century buildings comprise the best preserved town in the Highlands. Despite being at the end of road during its ferry-less months, 24 miles and 40 minutes’ drive from Inverness, Cromarty’s attractions include a purpose-built, volunteer-run cinema situated yards from the ferry slipway.
Just along the waterfront, a new campsite was opened last year by the Cromarty Community Development Trust to solve the problem of wild camping and unauthorised overnight parking by motorhomes on Cromarty Links, beside the hist.