Walk 4 Hill of Tain circular

Easter Ross Rights Of Way Association

Recommended walks

Walk 4 Hill of Tain circular

OS Landranger Map No 21.

OS Explorer Map No 438.

The route can be walked in either direction and the following description takes the clockwise route around the hill. Its distance is 4 miles and follows forest roads for most of the route and forest tracks for the remainder of the route.

The  Hill of Tain circular starts and finishes at the quarry car park at Grid Ref NH757 812. The car park is reached from the A9 Tain by-pass by turning south up the minor road minor road sign-posted for the Carnegie Hotel (just north of the Tain Health Centre junction). Continue to the top of this single-track where there is ample room for parking. There is an explanation board at the walkers exit from the car park.

Start at the footpath exit from the parking area and continue southwards, through a gate and along a forest road. Continue along this road for more than 1 km until a junction at NH739 799 is reached. Leave the major track and turn westward to circumnavigate the hill. Care will be needed for parts of the track which have become heavily rutted and hold water.

Near to NH730 800 can be seen the Neolithic long cairn Carn Liath (grey cairn in gaelic). It is down slope below the track.

Further on the track runs parallel to the Allt Clachach, or stoney burn, which is fed by Lochan Uaine (green loch), seen to the west.

Another kilometre or so and the track – which has become much improved- reaches a junction at NH744 818. Takes the uphill southern branch and continue up to the large erratic boulder beside a picnic bench at NH746 813. This is the highest point of the route and gives excellent views out over the Dornoch and Moray Firths.

The usual return route to the car park heads north downhill, skirting the old quarry workings. Stone for many of the listed buildings in Tain was extracted from this quarry and taken down the hill. The bottom of this track exits onto the car park.

Please take note of any Forest notices of work in progress which may cause the route to have restrictions due to timber extraction. This warning is for all walks through the Forest Estate in Scotland.

Please let ERROWA know of any changes in conditions on the route which may need some attention or TLC.