Monument record MHG31665 - Hilltrack - Allt a’Mhuilinn

Hilltrack (disused), NC 82612 11032 to NC 82756 11558.
From the existing access track at Ascoilebeg, opposite the access to the loading bay area of Feature 026 (below), this former hilltrack took a more winding route up the steepest part of the W hillside of Cnoc a’Ghrianan, before it was superseded by the more direct track of Feature 001 (above). It is 2m wide, and being more circuitous, is less steep than the succeeding track, and in many places is completely grassed over now. It is crossed by the new track at two locations.

This former track also has, at various places along its length, drainage ditches running parallel with it, piped culverts placed underneath it, borrow pits beside it used during its construction and spoil heaps/embankments at the side of it.

At 282666 911051, peeking through, and flush with the surface of the grass cover of the track, an arranged layout of embedded large cobbles form a 0.9m wide paved section of trackway for at least 10m (see Plate 4). The flat surfaces of the cobbles have been placed upwards to form a relatively smooth running surface. The cobbled section is curiously placed towards the outside of a curve, leaving an apparently unsurfaced width of track on the inside of the curve. The cobbled area strongly resembles the footings of a wall, exposed at ground surface level, but is thought to be a kind of track surfacing, but is unknown why apparently only for this short length.

Nowhere else on the old track was any other cobbled section observed, although, as already stated, grass now covers the majority of the track. <1>