There are a lot of outdoor activities that I am enjoying lately. The Scottish Highlands are a treat to hike and a wonderful place to look out for mesmerising views. The village of Golspie is an hour from here. It is one of the popular places to visit when you are trail hiking or going out for a run. Beinn Lunndaidh is another destination which is marked by a trig pillar.

My friend and I decided to follow different path and trails through the Heathery Moorland to reach one of the highest coastal ranges.

Ben Bhraggie is well-known because of the huge monument which is also known as The Mannie.

 

History behind the Mannie

There have been many controversial stories behind this magnificent tower. It has gone through a lot of controversies and there have been attempts to demolish it. It is because of the historical dispute over the famous Duke of Sutherland who was George Granville Leveson-Gower. He played an eminent role in clearing off thousands of tenants who belonged to the coastal villages from their respective homes.

The clearances which were then done were used for sheep farming. It replaced the farming which was carried out by the previous occupants.

There are many who want it to be demolished. But there are also many people who want it to stay as it is a reminder of what had happened in the region during the time of clearances.

Viewpoint from Beinn Lunndaidh

The viewpoint from the wide track is mesmerising. There is an extended version of the top of the hill which leads to this summit. The southern part of the pretty Lochan leads towards the highest point which is an open hillside. There are no definite paths leading to the highest point but if you keep walking, you will most definitely end up at the right place. Once at the summit, there were trig pillars which led us to the route towards the northern shore of the Lochan.

However, it is advised to head for the northern shore of the loch which goes towards a direct route to the summit.

The circuit

The circuit comprises of a 10km walk run which is on the tarmac road before it heads on to the track and goes past a farm. There are many helpful signs which point the way to the hill. The ascent is a bit steep. We could notice other signs and pointers which were there for mountain bike trails are a part of the Highland Wildcat Trails centre. It didn’t seem to take long to reach the Duke of Sutherland monument where we made a short pit stop.

My friend and I planned to reach the higher summit from here and go towards the highest point. We continued on the Beinn Circuit Bhraggie circuit for a while and then headed upwards.

 

The downhill run

Coming back to the beautiful place, this last section is one of the most fun bits of all! There is a wide track which gives way to the sweeping single track leading to the beautiful woodlands. As the summer turns to autumn, there are afternoon sunrays which manage to peek through the tree tops.

There were criss-cross turns which were made along the riverside. This was fun as me and my friend was able to see beautiful waterfalls and fast flowing river water up close.

There is a stunning viaduct which runs along the pavement at the end of the main road. It did not take long for us to get to the car parking once we completed the circuit.