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East of a line connecting Inverness, Pitlochry and Dundee, there are nineteen Grahams. Having been up five on previous occasions, I was considering the most efficient method of covering the remaining fourteen. After a bit of map review work and drafting driving routes on Google maps, I came up with a plan for the days leading up to our (nearly) annual holiday in Coylumbridge. This involved, on the Monday morning, driving up to a little east of Pitlochry to start with Blath Bhalg then, via a big loop, cover the remaining Grahams aiming to arrive in Coylumbridge early on the following Friday, ie four days being Monday 1100 through to Friday at 0930.
01 Blath Bhalg 25.7.2022Arrived in the wee parking area about 6km NE of Pitlochry on the A924. Initial path then faint path here and there. For the latter part, followed a fence line over some, at times, boggy ground.
02 Mealna Letter 25.7.2022Drove east along the A924 then up the A93 taking the B951 junction. Up a side road towards Dalnaglar Castle and parked in a large area at the start of the forestry track. Followed the track up and out of the trees. Then pathless over Cairn Derig then alongside a fence to the summit.
03 Mount Blair 25.7.2022Drove back to the B951 and round the corner to park the car in a wee layby beside some trees. Walked up the road then through a gate to gain access to the track. Followed the track up initially forgetting to go through a gate halfway up hence the short retracing of steps on the gpx. Track up to the summit which was quite “busy” with a cairn, trig point, and viewpoint/memorial and radio mast.
04 Cat Law 25.7.2022Drove via the B951 to Burnside of Balintore and parked just off the road at an old stone turreted estate entrance. Had only planned to cover the first three today but after dinner there was still time for a fourth – set off from the car at about 1930 along the road then through a fence up the track which took me to the summit. A little light rain which didn’t last long. After getting back to the car, drove NE then via Bridgend to just past Stonyford for the start of the Hill of Wirren track.
05 Hill of Wirren 26.7.2022Had considered a cycle in from the north but, in the end, opted for the southern approach. Didn’t set off until after 0630 to get to the track which took me up past Auchowrie Farm. Passed by some grouse butts to get to the relatively large flattish top then east to the summit via some extensive peat hags – was able to walk through them carefully.
06 Hunt Hill 26.7.2022Drove to Edzell then up the Glen Esk road to the large car park just before Loch Lee. Cycled along the track beside the loch and the Water of Lee before locking up the bike at the junction with the path to the Falls of Unich. Set off on foot gradually passing most of the members of a large walking group. Warning signs up of shooting in the area but didn’t affect the route. Followed the path up to a little before the Falls of Damff – was talking with the front members of the group and went a bit further than planned before turning NNW over some choppy, pathless moorland and up towards the summit.
07 Creag Bhalg 26.7.2022After Hunt Hill, had the long drive via Cairn o’Mount up to Aboyne then westwards to bypass Ballater, go through Braemar and drive round the Linn of Quoich road stopping before the northern entrance to Marr Lodge and a wee layby. Set off a little before 1800 up a narrow, overgrown track to gain the forest track which I followed before branching off to take a very narrow path through the heather to the summit. That was it for the day – just a relatively short drive eastwards then up the B976 for Geallaig Hill the next day.
08 Geallaig Hill 27.7.2022Parked the car in a parking area opposite Braenaloin. Set off a little before 0630. Walked over to pick up the good track which took me SE via some grouse butts to the summit.
09 Mona Gowan 27.7.2022Back at the car about 0800, drove the short distance NE to the parking area off the A939 just west of Glenfenzie. Walked a little way up the road then turned right on to the main track and went past some bee hives. Walked past some ruins then on to the junction with the track to Cairnagour Hill. Opted to turn right, went over the burn and took the main track turning left after about 1km to head up to the summit. Said hello to a couple of walkers on the way back down.
10 Pressendye 27.7.2022Drove up the A944, down the A97 then over to Boig, East Davoch where there was a wee parking area just off the road. Walked up a farm track then pathless across a grassy field to get to the new looking track through the trees. Followed this track for about 0.5km before branching off left to take a less well defined and overgrown track through the trees, through a gate and over some heathery ground to get to the main Pressendye track. Followed it up to the summit where I met two walkers sitting at the trig point. Stopped for a bit during which they set off SE. Another walker arrived from my ascent route asking if I’d seen her phone. I hadn’t but asked her for a her number and phoned it to see if we could hear anything but it went to VM. We both set off back down my ascent route – after a couple of minutes, my phone rang. The previous two walkers had found the single walker’s phone a little way down to the SE and would hold on until the single walker popped down to get her phone – positive result.
11 The Buck 27.7.2022Drove back to the A97 then northwards through Lumsden to Elrick. Parked in a large layby. Walked back down the road for a short way, through a gate and followed an initially faint path towards the hill. The path soon disappeared so just ploughed on through the heather. Followed a fence for part of the way the ground getting boggy at times up to the summit. That was it for the day – just the drive up to Dufftown and down via Tomnavoulin to Allanreid for the next day’s hill.
12 Cook's Cairn 28.7.2022Had considered going in from the east at Aldivalloch as it would be a shorter distance on a good windfarm track albeit with more ascent/descent; wasn’t sure about the Black Water crossing though. Instead opted to go from Allanreid. Cycled to the bridge over the River Livet then on a grassy track which avoids the farm to the north. Through some trees then over the river. The track was fairly rough at times making for a tougher cycle than probably would have been from Aldivalloch albeit perhaps more scenic. Cycled up to the abandoned houses at Suie and explored the main house. A sign on the door requested that the door be closed securely as a while back some sheep had got in, the door blew shut and they couldn’t escape eventually starving to death. Coincidentally on the return route I met and spoke with the farmer who owned those sheep. The cycle got a bit steeper and harder (had to push occasionally) after Suie. Locked up the bike just after the turn off up to Cook’s Cairn and walked the final 1.5km/160m ascent to the summit. A little rain and the clag was down so didn’t really see anything. Back down at the bike, cycled a little bit towards the windfarm to have a look at the track – looked very smooth and probably would’ve made for an easier cycle.
13 Cnap Chaochan Aitinn 28.7.2022Drove down through Tomintoul to the car park at the start of the cycle trails. Set off on the bike. Initially to the east of the River Avon, the track crosses to the west at Auchnahyle. It got steeper further to the south (had to push occasionally) but managed to get the bike to the summit which also had a weather station. Met a couple of other cyclists on the return leg. That was it for the day – just the drive up via Grantown-on-Spey to Daless for the final hill the following morning.
14 Carn nan Tri-tighearnan 29.7.2022I had considered two options for this hill. The longer route from Moy involved a cycle for most of the way on windfarm tracks but in the end opted for the walk from Daless. It was a nice morning for a walk when I set off. Took a more direct route up over some moorland then back to the track at the Allt Breac. The track actually went further than shown on the OS map so only about the final 1.5km was trackless. Had to go through the infamous peat hags there and back; didn’t seem too bad as I could walk through them but just had to ensure I kept to the right direction. Out of the peat hags and walked up to the summit. Back to the car by 0930 then drove to Aviemore for shopping and on to Coylumbridge to check in before my wife arrived that evening.