Beinn Tharsuinn from Strath Rusdale hillwalk

The track leading up from 'Keeper's Cottage'

From the northern side of the Cromarty Firth, take the A9 heading north from near Dingwall towards Alness. Just before reaching Alness, turn off onto the B9176, which cuts across moorland heading north. Around 6km from the A9 junction, you'll reach the small school by Easter Ardross. Here, take the minor road heading west.

Follow this single-track road for roughly 10km. Travelling up Strath Rusdale, it winds past Ardross Castle and gradually narrows, eventually ending near the entrance to the Kildermorie Estate. Just before the estate gates, there's space to park a car or two by the bins for 'Keeper's Cottage'.

Further up the track, wind turbines come into view

Starting from the roadside, following a good estate track that climbs steeply through a gate in a deer fence and into mixed forestry. The track (shown on OS 1:25,000 maps but not on the 1:50,000) continues uphill through woodland for about 1.5km before emerging into open ground. It then passes through a second high gate in a deer fence and reaches a small dam , where the OS 1:25,000 map shows the track ending.

From here, a smoother continuation of the track leads gently uphill, arriving at the southernmost turbine of the Coire na Cloiche wind farm, nestled beneath Beinn Tharsuinn's western flanks.

Leaving the track at this point, head east, initially losing a bit of height while crossing tussocky ground and short heather. After fording a small burn, aim directly for a distinctive rock feature on the skyline. This turns out to be two large granite boulders sitting side by side.

On Beinn Tharsuinn's summit looking over the Cromarty Firth

On Beinn Tharsuinn's summit looking over the Cromarty Firth

On the way to Sìthean a' Choin Bhain

You could simply retrace your steps from here, but with such a short ascent so far, why stop now ?

Instead, follow the faint path northward along the summit expanse. It quickly fades away into the maze of peat hags, and any notion of a direct route disappears. Thankfully, in dry conditions, the ground is soft and springy, making this traverse quite enjoyable - though it could be a different story after rain !

Continue past Beinn Tharsuinn's northern top (once believed to be of equal height to the southern summit), then visit the well-built cairn just to the north. This is the best viewpoint of the entire route - offering vast, uninterrupted panoramas over Càrn Chuinneag and the Flow Country to Ben Klibreck, Ben Hope, and the hills of Assynt and Coigach. Genuinely breathtaking.

Descending back down to the Coire na Cloiche wind farm

Descending back down to the Coire na Cloiche wind farm