Aberdeenshire Diversion

[Mountaineer]

Taking advantage of what turned out to be a chilly but otherwise very pleasant late afternoon and early evening as I drove from a meeting in Aberdeen to Grantown, a couple of short diversions gave me the opportunity to get a bit of exercise and Nick a couple of sub-2000s.

I started Craiglich from the parking place on the B9119 at NJ 525 062 and walked 100m back north east up the road to take the obvious track though a field bearing SW and then swinging ESE. This led to a style at a gate and continued into the forestry. I took the second junction on the left, which was marked by a cairn, which led to the summit after about 1km further.

The summit was topped by a remarkably large cairn which was in a something of a state of disrepair and gave great views including to Lochnagar, Morven and Pressandye.

Returning to my car a short drive of about 20km took me to the starting point for Ben Newe which was a marked parking area minor road connecting A944 with Glenbuchat at NJ 373 136 100m along a dirt track leading north east from the road just after Altdachie.

An information board was located here and there were several way marked footpaths indicated. I took the blue path which first led north east to pick up a track running south east. Climbing gradually all the way a left turn after a fenced area, then after another 100m right again into a fine section of woodland.

Following another way marked left turn, I could see a fallen tree across the track a little ahead and had to choose between this way or taking a small path emerging from the trees on the right next to a broken forestry operations sign. I continued straight ahead - tree easily avoided - to the edge of the forest at which point a feint path led uphill, meeting the other path I mentioned just short of the rocky summit.

Ladylea Hill, a now demoted Graham only lay a couple of kilometres away, indeed Ben Newe only misses the 2000 ft mark by a hundred feet or so. Like Creaglich, it was a great viewpoint. After locating what I assumed to be the Celtic Well (which I didn't fancy drinking from) I made my back down along the alternative track on which a number of small ramps had been built by mountain bikers. I have to confess I was happier in my boots than I would have been on my bike - I can't help but feel that a few pained cries have been heard here in the past.

In summary a very pleasant interlude on a couple of delightful and fairly rarely frequented hills in a lovely corner of the Highlands.