Images

Image of Cnoc Udais (Cairn(s)) by drewbhoy

This from half way down the north road shows how steep the east side is, and there’s much further to go. By the time I got back to the car, the hill had changed colour.

Image credit: drew/AMJ
Image of Cnoc Udais (Cairn(s)) by drewbhoy

The western approach, the cairn is behind the first mast.

Image credit: drew/AMJ
Image of Cnoc Udais (Cairn(s)) by drewbhoy

A flurry of snow arrived, this stone on the south of the cairn.

Image credit: drew/AMJ
Image of Cnoc Udais (Cairn(s)) by drewbhoy

The brilliant cairn on top of Cnoc Udais, heavy snow on the hill across the valley.

Image credit: drew/AMJ

Articles

Cnoc Udais

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.

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