Marilyns, Cnoc na Maoile and Braigh na h-Eaglaise

I parked west of the house at Caen in an extended passing place on the A897 Helmsdale to Kinbrace Road in the Strath of Kildonnan. I then walked west along this road crossing the Caen Burn noting that I could have left my car beside the bridge.

Once beyond the gate in a stock fence I climbed north-west through a mixture of short cropped heather and soft tussocky vegetation, following a fence then some old fence posts, onto Solus Craggie.

Solus Craggie
Solus Craggie
Caen Burn
Caen Burn
Looking back to start and the River Helmsdale
Looking back to start and the River Helmsdale
Caen Burn. Cnoc na Maoile in distance
Caen Burn. Cnoc na Maoile in distance

From there I walked north then a short descent led to the col with Cnoc na Maoile.

Cnoc na Maoile and ascent route
Cnoc na Maoile and ascent route
Golden Plover
Golden Plover

I thereafter climbed through heather of varying lengths to reach Cnoc na Moile’s wide summit area where after a bit of searching I located a couple of stones which apparently marked the highest point of this Marilyn.

Strath of Kildonnan
Strath of Kildonnan
Creag Scalabsdale
Creag Scalabsdale
Morven, Smean and Scaraben
Morven, Smean and Scaraben
Braigh na h-Eaglaise in the distance
Braigh na h-Eaglaise in the distance
Creag Thoraraidh
Creag Thoraraidh

I took a break here before descending south-east crossing the Allt an Dir just before it merged with the Caen Burn. I then followed animal trails and an old vehicle track down the west side of the Caen Burn and returned to the A897.

I then returned to Helmsdale and drove north on the A9 to Ousdale, north of the Ord of Caithness, and parked on an old section of the A9. I then headed to a locked gate in a deer fence and once over it briefly walked along the vehicle track before leaving it and taking to the open hillside.

Start of ascent, a locked gate
Start of ascent, a locked gate
View back to Ousdale and the start
View back to Ousdale and the start
Route to Braigh na h-Eaglaise
Route to Braigh na h-Eaglaise

I climbed through a mixture of heather and grasses to an old fence and beyond it tussocky ground before reaching the cairn marking the summit of the Marilyn, Braigh na h-Eaglaise.

Cnoc Allt na Beithe
Cnoc Allt na Beithe
Langwell Water, Morven and Smean
Langwell Water, Morven and Smean
Scaraben
Scaraben

After a break here I returned by the ascent route.

  • Total time – 5 hours.
  • Total distance – 13.5 kilometres.
  • Total height climbed – 695 metres.