Sidhean Dubh na Cloiche Baine

Rising from the sprawling Monadhliath plateau east of Fort Augustus, this remote Tump is defined by rolling, heathery slopes and a wild sense of isolation. It offers a rugged, pathless experience for those seeking solitude, rewarding the effort with expansive vistas across the Great Glen toward the high peaks of the west.

• •The Gaelic name translates as the 'Black Fairy Hill of the White Stone', where Sidhean refers to a knoll believed to be inhabited by the Sìthe or fairy folk. The 'white stone' likely denotes a prominent quartz erratic or outcrop visible on its dark, peat-heavy flanks.
• •The summit provides an excellent vantage point for looking northwest over the Great Glen, offering a distinct perspective on the rounded form of Meall Fuar-mhonaidh and the distant, rugged peaks of the Glen Affric forest.
• •In the heart of the Monadhliath, you are far more likely to find yourself negotiating a complex network of peat hags or practicing the hill's lengthy name than you are to meet a fellow walker.