It was -8C as I drove through the village of Kiltarlity, south of Beauly, but only -6C when I arrived at the end of the public road accessed from the minor Kiltarlity to Culburnie Road and signposted Kinerras. I parked on the verge keeping the turning circle clear as per the sign. I was last here in September to climb a few of the hills around Loch Bruicheach but missed out the Tump, Carn a’ Bhainne (West) as including it would have made for a long day.
I walked south-west along the vehicle track past the Keepers Cottage to a locked gate in a deer fence with a kissing gate at the side to permit access on foot.
Beyond these gates the little used track rose gradually south-west through a wood consisting of a few young trees to a second set of gates. Once through this kissing gate I was into open moorland with the track levelling out as it ran alongside a deer fence containing electric wires.
As I approached a third set of gates the sun was rising from behind the hills and after this kissing gate the track descended to the Allt Garbh where stepping stones aided the crossing although a few of the boulders were icy.
The track then gained a bit of height before descending towards Loch Neaty where there was a further set of gates.
An old rough track ran briefly alongside the north side of the loch then the track began to gain height as it headed away from the lochside. I initially followed the track hoping it would head in my intended direction but it continued uphill.
I descended through knee deep heather and dead bracken to the west end of Loch Neaty.
The inflow was wide and deep at this point so I wandered west until I found a suitable crossing point. It was then a steady climb south-west through a mixture of rough vegetation and ground with some ice.
This took me onto Carn a’ Bhainne (West) where there were two possible highpoints. I thought the outcrop to the south may have been the highest.
The return was by the outward route except on reaching Loch Neaty I walked along its north shore, rough going in places with some ice but not too bad.
- Time taken – 5.5 hours.
- Distance 11 kilometres.
- Height climbed – 355 metres.