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On a day of stunning sites, Cnoc Udais proved to be equally stunning.

From Breakachy I re-joined the A831, headed north to Beauly on the A862 until I reached the centre of Muir Of Ord where I headed north west on the A832 until Ord Distillery. From there follow the minor road west until Auchmore Farm is signposted. Go the end of this road, there is plenty room to park but ask permission first.

The storms of 2021 have destroyed most of the Auchmore Wood, forestry work continued with men and machine removing the fallen trees.

Luckily the track that continues west from the farm has not been affected, keep going past a mast, keep heading uphill until a track heads south. This track will lead to another, a partially tarred track which heads east to the top of the hill, tarred because of the three masts. All of which makes it easier to reach the cairn.

The cairn is impressive, it has a large footprint, it also stands at 15m wide and is almost 2m tall. Stunning all round views and also, on this day, stunning views north west, a blizzard heading straight my way.

By the time I’d reached Auchmore Wood, various types of light highlighted the extent of the damage to the wood. The forestry people were going to work well into the night, they would be doing that all over Scotland for a lot of nights. By the time I’d reached the car the snow had arrived making driving along the narrow minor road treacherous until I reached the Muir Of Ord.

Stunning site, stunning day.

Visited 02/01/2022.

Dun Mor, near Breakachy, has to be one of the most spectacular sites I’ve ever visited, the views are breathtaking, the amount of stonework verging on the unbelievable.

From Dun Chliabhain I headed back down to the A831 and headed south west and took the first minor road heading north west at Teanassie to eventually park, after asking permission, at Cruenassie.

Take the track to Breakachy Farm, keep heading over the small stream, past the old house still going north. By this time any type of track has gone and underfoot conditions are reasonable if conditions are dry. Luckily for me it remained fairly dry despite the occasional flurry of snow.

The fort / dun comes into view over a small ridge, it is a stunning sight, in the sunlight the rocks glisten. Almost two years previous I’d seen, along with A & B, the fort from over the valley at the Breackachy cairn. It was impressive from there, it is incredible close-up. Like back then and on the day of this visit the Breakachy Burn was in full flow. At the bottom of site there is a gate, part of the deer fence, which can be climbed through.

The crag on which the fort is built might be isolated but it isn’t alone as there are plenty of prehistoric sites nearby to keep it company.

The overall measurement is 25m by 16m making it oval shaped, the walls are over 5m wide with the entrance on the south east which I clambered over as the walls have fallen in. To the south of the crag there is another line of defence which extends the fort to some 40m in width.

Steep sides to north and east, cliff face on the west complete the defences.

After several walks around it was time to head back to the warmth of the car and a wee trip to Cnoc Udais.

One of the best sites I’ve seen.

Visited 02/01/2022.