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We were staying up in the Whitehills area for a week so this gave me the chance to have a walk up a few hills in an area that was new to me. So, early one cold windy day, I set off for the Back o' Bennachie car park (pay & display) and headed off on a great track south through the woods. It was still and quiet and the only sounds were my breathing and my heart thudding - well, it had been quite a while after a torn calf muscle! Out of the woods and into a strong wind from the S.E. I followed the track (and many signposts!) up to the summit of Oxen Craig and hoped for a quick cuppa but the wind was too strong to even stand and the shelter cairn merely acted as a wind tunnel so it was quickly off the top after a rather shaky photo.
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- Oxen Craig
I could see Mither Tap in the distance and an excellent path led over to it so, despite the gale, I enjoyed an easy saunter over.
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- A distant Mither Tap
Mither Tap isn't the highest point but it's certainly the most interesting and dramatic.
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- Mither Tap across the moor
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- Mither Tap
This top also gave the best views back over to Oxen Craig.
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- Looking back over to Oxen Craig from Mither Tap
Then it was just a case of taking another excellent path over another subsidiary top back to the path down through the woods. I must say that the pathwork and signposting on this hill is the best (or the worst, depending on your point of view) that I have ever seen, making it ideal for beginners or families to get into the hills. Still didn't manage to get my cup of tea till I was back at the car, though.
