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Cnoc Ceislein is usually done from the Fyrish car park, going via the Fyrish monument. I did a different, longer route from Evanton last year (
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=103357 ) and today was just going to use that way up as a there and back route for an afternoon walk. However, once at the trig point, I looked along the wide ridge and remembered thinking it was a nice looking hill from my walk back last time when I'd seen it from a different angle than usual, and had fancied walking along the length of it. So I abandoned thoughts of a there and back walk, and returned by walking along the length of the hill over its easy bumps and dips, and descended down a steep heather slope to meet another forestry track. There are a lot of forestry tracks and it can be quite confusing .... I've no idea if I took ones I was intending when looking at my map, but there are enough sightings of the distinct landmarks of the Cromarty Bridge and Highland Deephaven causeway to stay orientated and head the right way back via whichever tracks you choose.
Today's approximate route:
No photos from the walk up as I wasn't expecting to do a report, just thought I'd do a short one in case anyone fancied another route suggestion for this hill. I started at the free car park in Evanton, took the same way up as my last report, but came back a different, shorter way this time.
- Ben Wyvis from the summit of Cnoc Ceislein
- Fyrish to the SE, with the rigs lined up in the Cromarty Firth just about visible
- This is the view along the hill from the summit, quite an inviting route on a day like today.
- ...and the view back along the ridge to the summit as I got to the final 'bump' (it'd be a stretch to call it a top!). Beinn Tharsuinn is the hill in the background.
- East to Fyrish, and the industrial activities of Nigg and Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth
- I headed down the steep heathery slope in the direction of the Cromarty Bridge (in the distance) as my OS map showed I should then hit a forestry track (visible in this shot). It actually extends further now than shown on my old map as there's new forestry on the lower slopes of Cnoc Ceislein on this side, but not impeding this way down.
- Another look over to Wyvis as I descended to the track
- View back along the track to the slope I'd come down (on the left). The gorse was making a decent effort to take over the track at many points up here, I was starting to regret wearing shorts!
- Continuing down, the Deepwater causeway jutting into the Cromarty Firth being a good landmark. There were a few track junctions, I seemed to stick to this track all the way to a crossroads of tracks in a clearing after a flattish section, and turned right to head downhill again then. Pretty sure they all meet up one way or another though, some routes will just be a bit longer than others.