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A wee jaunt to get some execise before the rain came again.
Set out from the Car park on the B9119 @ NO484051, up the Douneside road passed the new Alastrean houses to reach the auto-close gate which gives access to the narrow beach-lined pathway to a wee wooden bridge and a path bearing left up just inside the forest boundary until the gap in the trees created by the 132kv pylons line allows you to bear right on to a track. The marker post make it easy nvigating up over the brow of the ridge to intersect another path which takes you up to the left towards the base of the final summit cone. The path bears left again and takes you to the summis Trig point and shelter cairn.
Cracking views across to Morven and Mona Gowan, with Tap o Noth to the north and Bennachie to the east.
The southern tops by this time had disappeared into the approaching cold front and rising wind, so Lochnagar, which was stunning from the queens view was now in the mirk!
Managed to get back to the car before the frontal rain broke and smuggled a plate of soup and a chip buttie at The Millars before heading back to Westhill. Lovely breath of fresh air.
