Creag Choinnich is the diminutive but beautiful little hill just east of Braemar, clothed in pinewoods. Its ascent makes a short but very steep walk, which can easily be combined with the Lion's Face walk.
Summary
Good path but very steep; rocky higher up
Terrain
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1. Start the walk from the centre of Braemar; if you turn off the A93 onto the Linn of Dee road into the village, there is a car park immediately on the left. You can see Creag Choinnich from here across the A93 rising above the little cottages. To begin the walk, head up to the A93 and turn right. Almost immediately a wooden signpost indicates a turn to the left up a lane beside the church. Continue along this lane for around three hundred metres until it curves to the right; here continue ahead into the woods through the large gate. Once in the woods, a finger-post sign indicates the footpaths in the woods; the Lion's Face route heads to the right, and if doing both walks it is best to do this first. For Creag Choinnich, however, turn left.
2. The path climbs fairly steeply through the pines and passes a bench. The Cromlins route then comes in from the left and is waymarked; ignore this and continue on the path heading straight uphill. After a few hundred metres of very steep climbing the trees thin out a little and permit a fine view back over Braemar.
3. The path now becomes rocky for the final approach to the summit. It isn't on the outcrop to the right which looks highest at first; keep on the main path which passes this before reaching the cairn at the true summit. At this moment another fine view is revealed looking down the Dee valley with the winding river heading towards Balmoral and Lochnagar presiding over it to the right and Invercauld House visible to the left.
4. Looking north the view is less open but the great peaks of Beinn a'Bhuird and Ben Avon - the granite tors prominent on the latter - rise above the carpets of forest. Return to Braemar the same way; before leaving the forest you can opt to turn left and follow the Lion's Face and Cromlin walk if you wish.
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