Graham Top, Caimhlin Mor, Strath Dearn

I left my vehicle in the parking area immediately before the end of the public road in Strath Dearn, accessed from Tomatin, south of Inverness.

Strath Dearn
Strath Dearn

I then walked to the end of the road, and the houses at Coignafearn Old Lodge. Beyond a vehicle track continued along the north-west side of the River Findhorn with a gassy track running alongside it which I preferred to the stony vehicle track. This grassy track rejoined the hardcore track prior to the bridge over the Allt Calder.

Carn an t-Seillich and Caimhlin Mor
Carn an t-Seillich and Caimhlin Mor

The vehicle track continued in a south-westerly direction passing the front of Coignafearn Lodge.

Coignafearn Lodge
Coignafearn Lodge

Beyond it I came to the bridges over the River Findhorn and Elrick Burn and once over them I was at the foot of Caimhlin Mor.

Bridges over River Findhorn and Elrick Burn
Bridges over River Findhorn and Elrick Burn

Here an ATV track headed south and I followed it for a while gaining some height before leaving it and climbing through bilberry and heather to the summit of Caimhlin Mor. The highpoint of this Graham Top was a moss covered boulder.

Back down Strath Dearn and towards start
Back down Strath Dearn and towards start
Carn an t-Seillich
Carn an t-Seillich
North Ridge Calpa Mor. Strath Dearn beyond
North Ridge Calpa Mor. Strath Dearn beyond
Am Bathaich and Upper Strath Dearn
Am Bathaich and Upper Strath Dearn
Coignafearn Lodge from Caimhlin Mor
Coignafearn Lodge from Caimhlin Mor

I sat here for a while but the cloud was lowering with some spots of drizzle so I set off on my return making a more direct descent to the bridge over the Elrick Burn. Once across it and the River Findhorn I retraced my route back to the car park as the drizzle became heavier and the midges appeared.

  • Time taken 3.5 hours.
  • Distance – 12 kilometres.
  • Height climbed – 350 metres.