Mount Eagle
Mount Eagle, Black Isle.
Height – 256 metres. Map – OS Landranger 21.
Climbed - 14 March 2010. Time taken – 1.25 hours.
Distance – 4 kilometres. Height climbed – 60 metres.
Trip Report Details:
Once again the weather didn’t appear very promising and in any case I was looking for a short walk as I wanted to watch the Half Marathon in Inverness, which started at 1pm. The Sub 2000 foot hill, Mount Eagle, on the Black Isle, just north of Inverness, was very short but at least it wasn’t far to travel and I would be back in ample time for the road race.
The unclassified Munlochy to Culbokie Road passed the VHF transmitter mast which is visible from miles around making it relatively easy to find the start. Parking beside the mast was a slight problem due to on going forestry work but I managed to put my car up on the verge.
I set off east along a forest track which is also part of a cycle route and soon found the track to be covered in snow, which was a bit of a surprise as the previous day I encountered very little snow on nearby higher hills.
At a junction of tracks I took a left and passed through an avenue of tall trees. This track was also covered in snow but fortunately it was quite wet as I had left my microspikes in Inverness. At the next junction I followed some bootprints which took me to a clearing. Here some new saplings had been planted and surrounded the trig point although at the time of this ascent gaining access to the summit wasn’t a problem. Things may change once these trees grow.
The only view I had was of a cloudy Ben Wyvis so I returned to my final track junction where I walked west down another forest track. At a bend in this track, according to my map, there was supposed to be a path which would lead me back to the start. It no longer existed so I had to wander through the forest, avoiding lots of wet ground, some fallen trees and snow patches. Eventually I reached the track I had set off along and walked the short distance back to my car.
Photos taken on walk.