Meall Fuar-mhonaidh – The best chance to see Nessie

Meall Fuar-mhonaidh is the highest peak closest to Loch Ness. This makes it the perfect viewpoint to catch a view of the longest loch in Scotland from a more elevated perspective. The walk is on a straightforward path, which is boggy in places and steep towards the summit. For hillwalking beginners who aren’t used to walking on rough terrain, this is an ideal exercise that will be rewarded with great views.

You start your walk in the small car park near Balbeg south of Drumnadrochit. Follow the road that leads straight ahead. You soon come across a fork where the road to the left leads to the pottery, and the path ahead leads through a gate and along a burn. Take this path.

You soon come across another gate and then a third one . The path starts to climb through this piece of woodland, and you gain height. At the upper end of the woods is another gate . Walk through, cross the track and continue on the footpath on the other side. From here, you already have a clear view of your day’s goal: Meall Fuar-mhonaidh.

Follow the footpath, and eventually, you come across a fence and a stile . Climb over it and continue on the path on the other side. The going becomes rougher now as the eroded path gets muddier. Occasionally you also have to stop and figure out the safest way through some very boggy sections.

The last quarter of the walk is significantly steeper than the sections before but doesn’t pose a real problem when you take your time. The steepest section is on a very eroded, muddy and rocky path, where you have to climb some awkwardly high rock stairs. If you want to avoid these, walk up the heathery slopes to the left of the path, which is not less steep, but at least you get some more grip underneath your soles and don’t have to take such huge steps.

With some relief, you reach a cairn, thinking, “Yay, I’m at the summit.” But, unfortunately, it’s a false summit . The actual summit is still further along to the Southwest. So, you grit your teeth and continue on the plateau, pass a cairn to the right, and soon after, the real summit of Meall Fuar-mhonaidh is revealed by a large cairn.

After this bog trot, you enjoy the views up and down Loch Ness and the open loch-sprinkled moorland to the Northwest. Then, after taking in the sights and having a snack, you retrace your steps (which shouldn’t be too difficult on the boggy path 😉 ) to the start of the walk.