Rinmore 2 - the back of Glenbuchat

[Gordon Ballantyne]

Decided to tackle these TUmps NE of Glenbuchat from Rinmore as it afforded a circular route back to the car without any roadwalking.

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Parked up in the quarry at the end of the road. The farmer obviously used this as a turning point for his/her machinery, so GordonC parked on one side while I found a neuk off to the other side. It was a little muddy, but nonetheless very convenient.

Parkup for the Rinmore Hills

Passed through a gate into the pastures in the wee glen up to Largue ( disused) and crossed the burn. We disturbed some grazing deer as we approached the fork up on to Meikle Clachdubh. On the brow of the hill was a shooters piece huttie with a braw view down the glen.

The track up to the shooters hut on Meikle Clachdubh

The shooters huttie on Meikle Clachdubh

Followed the track up over Meikle Clachdubh to Creag nan Eunan.
Cut off the main track that runs alongside the summit via a faint animal track to the top. There was no wind and the sun started to break through the broken cloud. Quite a change from the continuous rain we'd had since our last walk ! Plenty of pools of fresh rainwater to slake Harveys thirst ( and to plooter in ).

GB & H approaching the top of Creag an Eunan

GC in the morning sun at the top of Creag an Eunan

Mosey'd down to the track over to Creag an Sgor and its rocky top. The sun was now out in full to welcome us.

The track across to Creag an Sgor from Creag an Eunan

GC at the craggy top of Creag an Sgor

The summiteers pose on Creag an Sgor

After the photoshoot, we retreated along the track to our last hill via Clachmaddy, Meikle and Little Firbriggs Hills to the bealach below our last hill - Millhuie. On the way past Creag and Eunan, we spotted a strange construction which had a dubious function - feeder ? shooting butt ? - probably wrong on both counts !

The strange construction by the track below Creag an Eunan

There was a wheen o tree planters below us to the SW in Glenbuchat, doing their best to save the planet. No idea what type of trees they were planting.
Sauntered up the track to where it dives down the hill into Glenbuchat, then made use of the heather burn to plot a course up the steep bit past a rocky outcrop to the top. The highest bit seemed to be a wee bit S of the spot height about half way between the two fence strainers.

GC at the top of Millhuie

GB scoping the route off Millhuie

Dropped back down to the track via a solitary tree standing guard over a grouse shooting butt.

Shooting butt with its tree guardian below Millhuie

We opted to cross the fence into the open trees and down to the track traversing the NE side of Millhuie. Followed the track NW through a gate then down an unmarked grassy track, round the side of Craig na Gour to a ford across the Sluggan Burn. A farm track beside the burn took us up to the deserted Tollafraick and thence back to the cars.

GC studying Rinmore from the open forest & grass hillside below Millhuie

GC approaching Tollafraick

The track from Tollafraick back to the cars

We headed off doon the glen, scattering pheasants a plenty and putting up a buzzard & a kestrel, with our hearts singing after a fine day, in anticipation for our bacon roll and coffee at Alford, but were thwarted once more as it was closed. We'd managed to syncronise our visits with their two closing days.
Greiggs in Westhill again, but to add insult to injury, they had no seats inside, so we got a takeaway and sat on a commemorative bench in the shopping centre to watch folk queuing up to get into Markies - Oh joy !

A great day with sunshine and hardly any breeze - which is forecast to end tonight with the arrival of more rain.

[Gordie12]

Hi Gordon

Another of your routes where I have to get the map out to see where you have been.

Looked like a good day with great light.

GC at the top of Millhuie - did you catch him having a P ??

[Gordon Ballantyne]

Hi Geordie -

Rinmore is N of Strathdon at Glenkindie. Guess you've found it by now.

GordonC is just looking at his GPS, as the Spot Height seemed to be lower than where he's standing..... or pee-ing on it !