What a contrast- Cnoc an t-Sabhail (east)

18 April 2015

Participants: Neil and Ben

Where: Cnoc an t-Sabhail (east), 321m/1,054', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 21, NH 722817

 

Marilyns come in all shapes and sizes, as demonstrated by yesterday on Seana Mheallan and todays objective, Cnoc an t-Sabhail above Tain. I climbed it's twin, also called Cnoc an t-Sabhail, last year. This one had a bit of a reputation for rough going and it was well deserved. The photo is taken from the Struie road on the way back to Inverness.....

 

 

I parked in a Forestry car park to the east of the hill. The going initially was good, through some mixed forestry that covered a lot of Hill of Tain.....

 

 

I kept on the tracks as far as a nice wee loch- Lochan Uaine. The lump of moorland above it was todays objective!

 

 

Off track, the going varied from poor to awful. There was some of that really thick, spongy grass, some thick heather, and occasionally a patch that had been burned in the recent past and which provided slightly better going. Eventually the trig came into view.....

 

As I expected, the views were not great. The best was to the Graham of Beinn Tharsuinn to the west with Ben Wyvis to the left of it.....

 

 

and there was a glimpse of a distant Ben Klibreck to the north with the Dornoch Firth in the foreground.....

 

 

Despite the going, it had a certain interest- there is nothing like a bit of variety- and I found it a lot easier on the way down. This is looking down on the lochan with Hill of Tain behind it.....