Ben Rinnes and friend

[thepigguy]

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Day two in Speyside and an early morning peek through the curtains of our digs in Glen Rinnes revealed not much more than grey clag. Even the lower slopes of Meikle Conval a few hundred metres away were out of sight.

Checking the forecast, there was the prospect of clear weather towards lunchtime and into the afternoon so we decided to set off and see what happened. We walked down the Glen Rinnes road to the Bridge of Convalleys where a track turns uphill onto Meikle Conval.

Uphill into the mist

The going is easy enough, but steep at times and until I warmed up I was regretting the extra pint the night before and the extra piece of toast at breakfast. About two-thirds of the way up the track ends and a rough path - wet in parts - leads up to the top. The views along Glen Rinnes had been improving as we climbed, but by the time we reached the cairn, we were stuck in cloud again.

The clag starts to lift in Glen Rinnes

The track ends and a rough, damp path heads for the top

Looking back down the path

Our final destination was Dufftown, so we hung around for 20 minutes, drinking tea and deciding whether to try Ben Rinnes anyway or set off for Little Conval instead. Happily, Ben Rinnes started to appear through the clouds, so we packed up and set off.

At the top of Meikle Conval, waiting to see if the cloud lifts

First sight of Ben Rinnes

The path leads away from the summit of Meikle Conval

The clouds clear and Ben Rinnes looks fine

There's a path away from the summit, but it ends in a large peaty, boggy area and we went a little wrong from there, going to the right when the steep path down to the Ben Rinnes car park is over to the left. A little heather-bashing later, we were back on track and were happy to reach the car park.

Steep down to the Ben Rinnes car park

There's a clear, wide, well-trodden path up Ben Rinnes and - as with most popular hills - the going couldn't be more straightforward if they put tarmac on the thing. We passed several walkers and a couple of guys seemed to think it was a good idea to run up and down. Neverthless, don't underestimate the size of the hill and there's a steepish bit near the end which is a good test of knees and lungs.

Looking back at the Convals from the Ben Rinnes path

The path up Ben Rinnes

Ben Rinnes summit, looking towards the Convals

Looking north west from the top of Ben Rinnes - an alternative way down

At the top there were excellent views east and north as we had a bit of lunch, although some low cloud was still lying to the west and it was getting colder so we headed back down the path to the car park, deciding to take the road between Ben Rinnes and Meikle Conval, picking up a forestry track and taking in Little Conval before dropping down to the road near the golf club and back to Dufftown.

Back at the car park, looking up at Ben Rinnes, now in warm afternoon sunshine

The road between Ben Rinnes and Meikle Conval

By the time we we got to the car park, the weather had become almost summery and there was a lot of undressing before we got going again, There was a mile or so along the quiet road before we took the track towards Little Conval, trudging along until we took a fork to the right along an older, grassier track through trees towards the foot of the hill.

Little Conval from the forestry track

Forestry track

A bit damp here and there

Reaching a right turn for a track which contours east around Little Conval, my legs wrote me a firm memo to the effect that two hills for the day was enough and it was time to aim for our destination. Fortunately, my son (not a hill-bagger) agreed and we ambled along in the late afternoon sunshine down to the road and then up the final mile-and-a-half into Dufftown.

Meikle Conval from the slopes of Little Conval

Last glimpse of Ben Rinnes from the road into Dufftown