Carn Faire nan Con

1 June 2012

Participants - Neil and Ben
Where - Carn Faire nan Con, 370m/1,215', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 26, NH 396592

I love to get away to different areas and this trip was to the Inverness area in search of some sub-2k Marilyn's with hopefully good views. Carn Faire nan Con had received some good reports on hill walking sites so I chose that as the day's first objective. I drove to Garve and parked in the lay-by just before reaching the village and walked back down the road for a few hundred yards to the start of a track up the hill. There was very little in the way of a verge so I had to be careful to keep Ben under control; he was excited and raring to go as this was his first hill walk for about a month. The track wound up the hillside through some deciduous woodland, the only downside being that it was also the route taken by some pylons, which sort of spoilt the view down to Loch Garve. Anyway, we were soon clear of the wood and getting a first view of the hill; at the highest point, we left the track and took to the rough hillside, a mix of heather and grass. In high summer, I guess that it could be quite tough going. The views were starting to open out and there was a first view of Loch Luichart with the hills of the Fannichs beyond...

Soon on top, there were two cairns; the more western looked slightly higher. This is the lower cairn with Ben Wyvis in the background.....

and this is a rather dirty dog admiring the view to Loch Luichart from the other cairn. As usual, he had found some nice muddy pools to wallow in on the way up!.....

It was certainly one of these hills that provide good views for not too much effort. This is looking north over Garve.....

over Loch Garve to Ben Wyvis.....

along Loch Luichart to the hills of the north.....

and across the loch to the neighbouring sub-2k of Sgurr Marcasaidh. It looks a fine hill but quite a bit more difficult of access.....

I sat about at the cairn for a while before descending by the same route and on to the second hill of the day, Cnoc Mor above Strathpeffer.