MacIain's Knoll

Grey skies and a stiff north wind bearing the occasional drizzle didn't prevent us from setting off in search of the rounded hill named after the clan which, for four centuries, were the lairds of Ardnamurchan.

We left the car by the forestry at NM522660 (map link at bottom of this entry) and, turning northwestwards, followed the burn called Allt Rath a' Bheulain upstream across land owned by Ardnamurchan Estate. What's so good about following a burn is that it constantly changes, though the flow in this one, which has a fine waterfall upstream from the one shown in the photograph, was rather too low to be spectacular.

We saw plenty of the Estate's red deer....

....and even more of its Blackface sheep, though one of them had obviously taken a tumble down a steep slope into the bed of the burn.

Despite the weather, from Coire Mam a' Ghaill there's a good view down onto Tom Mhic Iain (MacIain's knoll) and the small Lochan Tom Mhic Iain. In the distance lie the northern flanks of Ben Hiant, the mountain's summit wreathed in mist.

There must be good historical reason for this little hill and its accompanying lochan being named after that great clan. Even in grey weather, it's a pretty spot, and on a fine day there would be a spectacular view down the valley to the MacIain's ancient seat of Mingary Castle.

Perhaps this spot was a favourite destination for one of the clans' chiefs who, like us, enjoyed a Sunday walk in this beautiful part of the world.

A map is here.