BUY ME A COFFEE

Hill: Mount Eagle
Date: Friday 8th January 2010
Company: Just me
Time: 1Hr 40Mins


The drive to Inverness this morning was the coldest I have experienced. Just outside Keith was -20C.

A wee bit chilly:


The drive to the starting point of Mount Eagle was slow progress – lots of black ice on the roads and many cars moving incredibly slowly. On arriving, I parked at NH639579 At the start of the walk there is a really tall transmitter.

Mount Eagle transmitter:


The initial kilometre was unexpectedly along hard compacted snow.

View from tree clearing:


View from tree clearing:


View from tree clearing:


The next kilometre, leading to the summit, was also quite easy-going as someone had already broken trail and I followed in their footsteps. Thanks.

Track through the trees:


Track through the trees:


Masts near summit:


The final walk from the summit transmitters to the trig point was hard work – knee to waist-deep snow.

Summit trig point:


I stopped for a while at the summit to take in the fine views before returning to the car via the same route.

View from summit:


View from summit:


View from summit:


Ben Wyvis from summit:


Next, I decided to head for Hill of Nigg. Although Mount Eagle and Hill of Nigg are quite close together as the crow flies I found there is quite a drive between them.

Hill: Hill of Nigg
Date: Friday 8th January 2010
Company: Just me
Time: 45Mins


I parked fifty metres or so along from the start NH814703, which is less than one kilometre from the summit. Despite this hill being short in both distance and ascent, it is well worth a visit for the views down the Cromarty Firth.

Looking across to Mount Eagle:


Rigs:


Ben Wyvis:


Start of track from road:


The ascent up the track, as far as the reservoir, was up nice compacted snow.

View from track:


From just past the reservoir to the summit was through untouched snow.

Ascent of Hill of Nigg:


Untouched deep snow to summit:


Looking across Moray Firth:


I used my GPS to confirm that I was at the summit as there is no trig point and the few stones at the summit were covered with snow. Summit is at NH8206370532.

Looking North from summit:


I returned to the car via the same route.

Looking back to my tracks during descent:


Back to car not long before sunset:


Enjoyed these two small hills for the fine views from an area I have not previously visited