Hills near Grantown on Spey

Carn Luig and Creag Bheithe Mor – I left my car at the end of the minor road east of the house at Camerory, accessed from the A939 Nairn Road just north of Grantown on Spey. I then walked up the vehicle track passed this house then along an Old Military Road on the east side of some trees. I soon left this track and walked north-east across rough pasture, initially on what appeared to be an old vehicle track.

On reaching the edge of a wood, I crossed the stock fence with its rabbit wire and walked through bilberry and well spaced trees later following old work vehicle tracks. This led to an obvious mound, the summit of the Tump, Carn Luig.

I returned to the Old Military Road then walked a short distance west along a vehicle track to beyond a stock gate where I left the track and commenced the ascent of the Hump, Creag Bheithe Mor. The underfoot conditions were pretty awful with lots of fallen trees so it took me a while to work round these obstacles and eventually reach the summit of Creag Bheithe Mor, a knoll in a small area of open ground.

Instead of returning by the approach route I descended north hoping the underfoot conditions would improve but they were just as bad if not worse with numerous fallen trees blocking the way. On reaching a grassy field I crossed it to reach my car.

Hill of Phones – The start of the ascent for this hill was near the end of the minor road at Locherbain, accessed from the Daluaine Distillery, north of the A95 Aberlour to Grantown on Spey Road. I left my car at the edge of a passing place and walked the short distance to the end of the public road then along a forest track. At NJ215400 I left this track, walked along an area between mature and younger trees, then through the mature trees following animal trails. However the trees were now closer together meaning I had to push my way through the branches to make progress.

I came across a path and this led close to the summit then it was through more branches to a small clearing, the summit of the Tump, Hill of Phones, although I couldn’t tell the exact highpoint.

I returned to the path which widened as it became more of a vehicle track but its condition later deteriorated and was overgrown before coming to an end at the rear of the property at Locherbain. I then walked through the long vegetation at the rear of this property onto their access road before heading back to my car.

  • Total time taken – 2.25 hours.
  • Total distance – 6.5 kilometres.
  • Total height climbed 210 metres.