walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Mount Eagle & Hill of Nigg

Mount Eagle & Hill of Nigg


Postby foggieclimber » Sat Jan 09, 2010 2:35 pm

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Hill of Nigg, Mount Eagle

Date walked: 08/01/2010

Time taken: 2 hours

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Hill: Mount Eagle
Date: Friday 8th January 2010
Company: Just me
Time: 1Hr 40Mins


The drive to Inverness yesterday morning was the coldest I have experienced. Just outside Keith was -20ºC.

A wee bit chilly:
Image

The drive to the starting point of Mount Eagle was slow progress – lots of black ice on the roads and many cars moving incredibly slowly. On arriving, I parked at NH639579

At the start of the walk there is a really tall transmitter.

Mount Eagle transmitter:
Image

The initial kilometre was unexpectedly along hard compacted snow. :)

View from tree clearing:
Image

View from tree clearing:
Image

View from tree clearing:
Image

The next kilometre, leading to the summit, was also quite easy-going as someone had already broken trail and I followed in their footsteps. Thanks :)

Track through the trees:
Image

Track through the trees:
Image

Masts near summit:
Image

The final walk from the summit transmitters to the trig point was hard work – knee to waist-deep snow.

Summit trig point:
Image

I stopped for a while at the summit to take in the fine views before returning to the car via the same route.

View from summit:
Image

View from summit:
Image

View from summit:
Image

Ben Wyvis from summit:
Image

Next, I decided to head for Hill of Nigg. Although Mount Eagle and Hill of Nigg are quite close together as the crow flies I found there is quite a drive between them.


Hill: Hill of Nigg
Date: Friday 8th January 2010
Company: Just me
Time: 45Mins


I parked fifty metres or so along from the start NH814703, which is less than one kilometre from the summit.

Despite this hill being short in both distance and ascent, it is well worth a visit for the views down the Cromarty Firth.

Looking across to Mount Eagle:
Image

Rigs:
Image

Ben Wyvis:
Image

Start of track from road:
Image

The ascent up the track, as far as the reservoir, was up nice compacted snow.

View from track:
Image

From just past the reservoir to the summit was through untouched snow.

Ascent of Hill of Nigg:
Image

Untouched deep snow to summit:
Image

Looking across Moray Firth:
Image

I used my GPS to confirm that I was at the summit as there is no trig point and the few stones at the summit were covered with snow. Summit is at NH8206370532.

Looking North from summit:
Image

I returned to the car via the same route.

Looking back to my tracks during descent:
Image

Back to car not long before sunset:
Image

Enjoyed these two small hills for the fine views from an area I have not previously visited.
Last edited by foggieclimber on Thu May 13, 2010 4:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
foggieclimber
 
Posts: 1041
Joined: Aug 9, 2009

Re: Mount Eagle & Hill of Nigg

Postby hills » Sat Jan 09, 2010 8:40 pm

Excellant again foggie! :D
User avatar
hills
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 488
Munros:255   Corbetts:170
Fionas:172   Donalds:88
Sub 2000:191   Hewitts:14
Wainwrights:32   Islands:34
Joined: Sep 16, 2009
Location: Stirling

Re: Mount Eagle & Hill of Nigg

Postby malky_c » Sun Jan 10, 2010 1:18 am

Got to say, you have made both of these hills look pretty spectacular. I did both of them last January on separate days, and didn't get quite those views (although the conditions weren't that bad).

I cycled over to Mount Eagle from Inverness. Public roads were fine, but from the big mast onwards was a sheet of ice. Couple of OK views, but nothing like that.

Did Hill of Nigg on the way back from a meeting at Balintore. No snow so was about 15 minutes round trip from the car. I'm glad this website confirms the summit, as my Marilyns list has the highest point at the other end of the hill, a couple of km away.
User avatar
malky_c
 
Posts: 6342
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:80+37
Sub 2000:315   Hewitts:281
Wainwrights:140   Islands:39
Joined: Nov 22, 2009
Location: Glasgow/Inverness

Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: annebonnar, Huw Lewis, nigheandonn, Owen b and 74 guests