Cnoc Mor
Height - 269 metres. Map - OS Landranger 26.
Climbed – 31 January 2010. Time taken - 2.5 hours.
Distance – 7.5 kilometres. Height climbed – 370 metres.
Trip Report Details:
I was staying in Inverness and later that day was heading west so a short morning walk was the plan and Cnoc Mor suited the bill. I decided to start from Blackmuir Wood, Strathpeffer, where there were forest walks.
There was some snow on the road between the villages of Contin and Strathpeffer and as I drove into Strathpeffer I saw the signs for the woods. Unfortunately there were also signs indicating that the walks and car park were closed as trees were being forested. However as it was Sunday I didn’t think anyone would be working so I found somewhere to park and headed up the forest track. I hadn’t gone far when I heard the noise of a vehicle and saw that it was collecting cut timber. I tried a couple of side paths but they came to an end amongst areas of cut timber so after half an hour I gave up and returned to my car.
I drove back towards Contin and at a junction signposted to Jamestown took a left and headed for Beallachnagore Farm to just beyond the end of the public road where I found a parking space. I then walked across a field to the edge of Blackmuir Woods and followed the boundary fence up the side of the trees crossing a couple more fences. Eventually I noticed that there was a path within the woods and clambered over the fence and followed this path which soon came to a stile and crossed back into the field.
The path led to a sign indicating the route through a newer plantation but the path was overgrown and a bit wet and snow covered. Eventually it led to another path which was also signposted. Here I took a left and the path led to the summit trig point which was partially surrounded by trees.
This had only taken me thirty minutes so I descended north-east, steeply in a couple of locations, and headed out to Knock Farril, over its south-west top. From this top there were views of Ben Wyvis, Little Wyvis, the Cromarty Firth and Castle Leod.
After a short break at the summit I retraced my route back to the car.
Photos taken on walk.