Bennachie

[Jokester]

Hey there, first post, first trip report! My name's Matt and I live in Aberdeenshire. As you can see I signed up years ago as I was trying to get back into hillwalking but other things over took me, but I'm getting back into shape and lost the excess weight and looking to start some more serious walks again.

Anyway, I've bought myself a new camera and to test out the GPS on my iPhone I spent this morning climbing my local hill, Bennachie, including the 3 main tops, Mither Tap, Craigshannoch and the highest point Oxen Craig.

I parked at the Bennachie Visitor Centre (what used to be Esson's car park). They've recently introduced parking charges here, £1 for an hour, £2 for 3 hours, £3 for a day - I paid the £2 but I don't believe anyone checks.

The Forestry Commission have been working the forest in this area recently and though it's opened up the path to the Mither Tap to the sunshine it does look like at times as if it's a bit like a wasteland, but with a year or two hopefully nature will have reclaimed it.


IMG_0002 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr


IMG_0004 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr


IMG_0005 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Bennachie has a history of being worked, both by the Forestry but further back granite was cut and crofting on the slopes around the Bennachie Visitor Centre. There's currently archaeology digs going on in this area and the path takes you up past one of the ruins.


IMG_0003 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

The paths are also littered with the abandoned granite lentils that had been cut, but then later used to build the paths from all round the mountain. You can see the distinctive marks on this one where it was drilled and then I guess split from the main body of the rock.


IMG_0006 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

I usually park at Esson's as it takes you straight up to the Mither Tap in the most direct manner as it takes you up the 400m or so to the top in about a mile and a half, and though the first part is through the man made pine forest, eventually you'll get into more natural pine wood before leaving the trees behind and up through the heather which was in full bloom this morning.


IMG_0008 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

From here it's a short walk up through the entrance into the old pictish fort (carbon dated to about 500AD) and then a short climb up the rock steps to the top. On a clear day you can see all round the NE of Scotland and also into the Cairngorms and the other high mountains to the West.

From here, rather than descend the way I came, I went down the South side and round the back before taking the path direct to Oxen Craig.


IMG_0013 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr


IMG_0015 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

I find Oxen Craig quite dull as it's gently but steady rise up from the central plateau does nothing to highlight that it's in reality the highest part of the hill and the top itself is nothing more than some low lying granite outcrops and grassy knolls.


IMG_0019 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

There's another view point here with good views to the West with mountains and hills of interest marked on it.

View back to Mither Tap with Craigshannoch on the left.


IMG_0022 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

From here, rather than head back the way I came, I headed down the Back o Bennachie path before realising that just wearing trainers maybe wasn't such a great idea, as though in the past 10 or so years a lot of work has been done to put proper paths in, this one was still an original, presumably water washed during torrential rain, path that was covered in loose scree and pebbles. You don't have to go far though before you join back onto the path from the carpack up that goes round to Craigshannoch.

Craigshannoch is the 3rd main top, it's split in two, one with a cairn on top, one without. I'm pretty sure the top is the one without the cairn, but it takes 20seconds to cover the two.


IMG_0027 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

From here I took the route towards the Maiden's Causeway rather than direct to the Mither Tap again and took a detour past a cairn to see what it was there for but as I approached I saw a buzzard and tried and failed to get a photo of it. I might have completely missed if there was a plaque on it, from the photo it looks like there might be a carved stone on the right side of it. Does anyone know?


IMG_0029 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Once down onto Maiden's Causeway I turned down the hill to visit Hosie's well, local mythology says it was where a soldier taken prisoner on the eve of his wedding during the Battle of Harlaw returned to years later once escaped only to find his missus engaged to someone else. On seeing her old beau like a ghost from her past she dropped dead and Hosie then died on the spot from a broken heart and his tears now flow for eternity from the well.


IMG_0031 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Heading back towards the Mither Tap the summit tor towers over the area.


IMG_0032 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Once up to the base of the tor, it's a simple case of dropping back down the path towards Esson's and the car park.


IMG_0034 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

The Maiden's Causeway is also subject to a local legend that ties it with the Maiden Stone located a couple of miles away. There's a small layby here with a plaque giving details of the legend and so on:-


IMG_0037 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr


IMG_0036 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

And one last photo looking back at Bennachie on the way home:-


IMG_0039 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Full set of photos can be found here:-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99489793@N04/sets/72157634927900466/

[Silverhill]

First post, first report: welcome!
A nice wee walk and an informative TR. Here's to many more to come. Enjoy your next walks!

[Tomsie]

Always a nice hill to get out on, agree about it looking like a bit of a wasteland