Sidhean Mhor

With an uncertain forecast and the ground sodden from recent rain, we decided not to try any of the higher hills today, so we set out to explore Sithean Mhor (the big fairy hill) - Sidhean Mhor, as the OS map marks it. This is a low ridge which runs east-west a kilometre to the south of Achnaha, with the Sanna road skirting round its north side. It has several small peaks, the most westerly being the highest, this picture looking back from the summit along the ridge towards Creag an Airgid, the silver crag.

We approached it from the bridge on the Sanna road where it crosses the Allt Uamha na Muice, the stream which forms the open valley in which the small village of Achnaha lies and which later joins the Sanna Burn. Only a few yards off the road is this huge rock, an erratic dropped by the ice during the last glaciation.

Despite the forecast and a keen northwesterly wind which, at times, almost blew us off our feet, the sun came out as we approached the summit of the ridge, seen here with Meall Sanna in the distance.

Because the ridge is isolated there are good views in all directions except the south, which is blocked by the dark, forbidding bulk of Beinn na h-Imeilte, the aptly named hill of many streams. This picture looks across the abandoned croft lands to Achanaha and the northern hills of the great ring dyke, Sgurr nan Gabhar (the peak of the goat) to the right and Meall Clach an Daraich (the stoney hill of the oak) in the centre. It being tupping time, the villages sheep are seen close in to the houses.

Virtually all of the flat land in the valley of the burn shows signs of being worked in the past, the population growing so high that much less fertile fields had to be pressed into use - on these hillsides below Meall Sanna, the bracken reveals clear signs of the strip cultivation which was used. The small lake, which has straight sides and isn't natural, may have filled land which had been dug out for peat.

As we made our way back to the car it began to rain, a few, almost horizontal droplets chasing us on our way. The forecast for the next few days is pretty grim, yet a friend who is up from Cambridge tells us they are suffering such drought conditions that their water supply may have to be rationed by Christmas.

A map of the area is here.