📌 Spinningdale, Highland
★★★
Surrounded by water on three sides, the small summit of A’ Chraisg makes a marvellous spot from which to survey the Dornoch Firth. Its lower slopes are cloaked in unspoilt pinewood, used as a reintroduction site for red squirrels; even if you don’t see a real one, there are several sculptures of the animals along the forest trails. Concealed at the heart of the landscape is peaceful Migdale Loch, overlooked by the prow of Migdale Rock.
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on minor road 1 mi northwest of Spinningdale
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NH 667908
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.886425,-4.249949
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Car park – if full, there is further parking to the east
📝 Key info
▶ 9 km / 6 mi | ▲ 250 m | ⌛ 2.5-3.5 hr
Features: 🌳 Ledmore & Migdale Forest; 💧 Loch Migdale; △ A’ Chraisg (186 m); 📷 Dornoch Firth viewpoint
⬤ Moderate | Good tracks for majority of route, with steep ascent and descent. Detour to viewpoint is on a narrow path. Tracks on A’ Chraisg don’t exactly match those on O.S. maps.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit with extension to Dornoch Firth viewpoint: start – Loch Migdale – A’ Chraisg – Dornoch Firth viewpoint – return to track junction – start via Spinningdale Burn valley
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Long tailed tits, speckled wood butterlies; lots of annoying flies on ascent.
Weather: Good amounts of sunshine after a couple of brief showers near the start. Breezy on the summit with temperature in mid teens.
July 2020
