free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Sub 2k Marilyns: Oxen Craig, Millstone Hill.
Date: 25/12/2024.
Distance: 17.5km.
Ascent: 850m.
Time taken: 6 hours 10 minutes.
Weather: Strong sunshine and strong winds. Extremely mild for Christmas.
This wasn't quite the direction we had hoped to go in for Christmas but it was just about the only bit of the country promising some sunshine. We woke up at first light next to the River Don and began following a track, then path over in the direction of the Birks Burn. While Bennachie can be climbed quite quickly from the east, we had come up with a route to make the most of it, given that it is quite a way from Inverness. Sunrise was impressive and the weather was mild - it didn't really feel like Christmas at all but it was great to be out on the hills somewhere.
Sunrise at Donview 
Sunrise over the River Don 
Sunrise 
West up the Don 
First view of Bennachie Following a track round the back of the Mill of Tillyfoure and back down some of our initially won height, we picked up a small footpath (or possibly mountain bike trail) following the March Burn. This allowed us to get away from the dullness of the zigzagging forestry track and make our way more directly uphill. While the upper part was dense plantation, lower down was a lovely mixture of different trees and vegetation alongside the burn. Higher up it would have been easy to lose our way but the mountain bikers had been through and cut overhanging branches and cleared fallen logs, so the easiest route was almost always the correct one. We popped out of the trees halfway between Watch Craig and Oxen Craig.
Across the Don to Cairn William 
Path up the March Burn 
Watch Craig Picking up a better path, we went over to Watch Craig first, enjoying being out in the sunshine. This is probably the west-most summit of any interest on Bennachie - certainly the most westerly rocky outcrop. Next it was on to the highest summit of the day - Oxen Craig.
Oxen Craig from Watch Craig 
Approaching Oxen Craig It was quiet round this side of the hill but as we made the final rocky approach to the top, we met a few other people. Despite being windy, it was fantastically clear and sunny, more than making up for my last time up here with my sister. While Ben Rinnes and Mount Keen were in view, there was little to see further south and west of those - we had made the right choice.
Mither Tap from Oxen Craig 
NE to Waughton Hill 
NW to Knock Hill 
Morven the Cairngorms and the Buck 
Ben Rinnes and Tap o Noth 
South across the Don Now we picked up some real motorways to follow - the various paths between here and Mither Tap are very good. We chose a route that went via Craigshannoch, although it was barely possible to stand on the top for being buffeted about.
Approaching Mither Tap We dodged around on the ascent of Mither Tap to pick up a nearby geocache, but ended up coming through the walls of the old fort at the entrance, where there are steps. The top bit of Mither Tap is really impressive. Also it was where most of the people were.
Mither Tap 
Fort entrance We grabbed a couple of photos at the top but again it was too windy to hang around so we scarpered back down, picking up the path that led south to Millstone Hill. We had a lunch break some of the way down this.
East from Mither Tap 
W from Mither Tap 
SW along the Don from Mither Tap 
Mither Tap from the south 
Looking back 
Back to Mither Tap This path was much quieter with good views back. After crossing the col and disappearing into a tunnel of conifers for a short while, we emerged to great views of Mither Tap again. I'd say this is its' best angle.
Remaining rowan 
Mither Tap from Millstone Hill 
Bennachie from Millstone Hill 
West along the Don from Millstone Hill 
Last look at Bennachie After a short break on Millstone Hill we dropped down the eastern flank, eventually emerging on the road about a km away from the carpark. We had done this to look at a river feature called the Lord's Throat, which we thought might provide a good swimming spot. In lower flows, there appears to be a fairly narrow channel between two large slabs of granite, however the river appeared high enough to cover this completely today. The high flows didn't make it too appealing for a swim either.
Path down to the Don 
River DonRegardless, it was a great day out on the best lower hill in Aberdeenshire. As we were down a good bit before darkness again, we thought about where to go for a Christmas Day swim. Not really knowing the local rivers well, we decided we'd just be able to make the beach at Lossiemouth before darkness. We managed this - windy but a brilliant end to the day. We weren't alone looking for a Christmas swim there either!
