Mona Gowan From Culfork

[Gordie12]

This was my second hill of the day having walked Corryhabbie Hill earlier.

I was able to park out of the way at a wide forest track a couple of hundred yards short of Torranbuie.

The roads were wet so there had been recent rain but the sun was out, there was no wind and the flies were everywhere. They swarmed the car and I don't think anymore could have got on to the roof aerial , those that couldn't tried to either get up my nose or in my ears

Got the boots on quickly and headed off, as soon as I was walking the flies left me alone. I ignored the right turn just before Torranbuie and took the track to the right just beyond the two houses where there is a sharp left turn to the road.

Leaving the tarmac behind

The walk through the forest is on a gentle and easy gradient with good views looking behind me.

Before leaving the forest I had seen three red squirrels and there were some enormous looking dragon flies (not the usual black and yellow ones I see quite often) quite close to me. It didn't take long to reach the gate and enter the open moorland.

Leaving the forest behind

The sun is warm but once on open ground there is a nice breeze to keep me cool as I follow the track still on an easy gradient.

Mandatory ugly building

On reaching the grouse butts I could now see the main climb ahead of me.

Grouse butts

Range Rover parking area

Butt four is the one to go for, you can be dropped off and picked up right beside it - worst case scenario you will only be 40 flat yards away from the large parking area.

After passing the grouse butts there is a short zig zag steeper section but the gradient isn't difficult and soon the massive cairn comes in to view. At a fork I took the right track and I arrived at the cairn.

Summit Cairn

Looking down to the A939

Corgarff Castle - white dot in the distance

Bennachie

The views from this hill are brilliant so I spent a bit of time wandering around before heading off down the track.

Similar to my earlier walk the dark clouds were gathering to my west but they looked a lot darker and more threatening than this morning.

Heading back down to the woods

Tom a' Bhuraich

Starting to look serious

A splash of colour

When I was no more than ten minutes from the car the heavens opened and boy did it rain. Within a couple of minutes I was completely drenched, when I got to the tarmac I jogged down the road to the car, not sure why, I couldn't have got any wetter anyway.

This is a really good little hill and if I lived close to it, it would be one I would visit on a regular basis.

[The Rodmiester]

That looks like a fine wee hill. I know why you jogged, you were wanting to set me a time I couldn't match Next time I'm in that area I must do that one along with something else of course.

[Gordie12]

That looks like a fine wee hill. I know why you jogged, you were wanting to set me a time I couldn't match Next time I'm in that area I must do that one along with something else of course.

Even with the jog I don't think I could get near your times this year, you seem to be in fine form!!

I'm starting to run out of Moray/Aberdeenshire hills which is a pity as there is something about the scenery that I really love (and I'm making it harder to chase the weather by focusing on this one part of the country).

Went over to Dalnaspidal on Saturday to do the Corbett at the south side of Loch Garry but I didn't take on the Graham as per your walk a couple of years ago.