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We had already been to Ben Aigan a few years ago, but in appalling weather conditions: windy, cloudy, cold. It was a walk done for the sake of exercising our legs, and since that day we always wanted to come back here to see the views, maybe try a different route than the traditional walk up the track from the forestry car park. We had an idea of full traverse of the hill, including walking back along the Speyside Way. Sadly, we had to cut our walk short because I wasn't feeling well, but we still covered 15km.
Ben Aigan is a perfect easy route for winter conditions and we will come back here when Scotland turns white
Today's route followed available tracks and paths, including part of the cycling trail. Extensive tree feeling is taking place on the southern and eastern slopes at the moment, so many of the old paths/firebreaks are no longer passable, but the hill is still a good viewpoint and even on a windy day, provides nice ground for rambling
We started from the car park for the Ben Aigan cycle trails off the main A95 just north from Craigellachie:
The main track follows the Burn of Oldtown for a few hundred metres, before taking a hefty turn east and uphill. It was obvious to me that the track is used for the current tree feeling activities. Always a shame to see trees go, but as it is all commercial forest, it's the usual course of events, sadly.
The track continues through the woods, in places there are good glimpses of views to the east, I was interested in a prominent hill on the eastern horizon. It's a Sub'2 Marylin, Knock Hill, a possible target for a short walk in the future:
The old firebreak we used as a shortcut during our previous visit here, has been affected by the aforementioned tree feeling, so instead of trying to trash through the boggy ground, we decided to stay on the well beaten track, with more nice views appearing as we gained height:
Looking east in the direction of Keith, Knock Hill and another Sub2', The Balloch, on the horizon:
We reached the top of Knock More, the eastern top of Ben Aigan, which has a communication mast on the summit:
From here, the track continues west towards the main bulk of Ben Aigan:
The noerthern slopes of Aigan have also been affected by forest cutting:
Looking back at the mast from the track to Ben Aigan:
To begin with, the track was dry, but soon we encountered a boggy section... But mud or no mud, I was desperate to have fun
Knock More from the slopes of Ben Aigan:
The muddy section behind, we could now enjoy the final ascent to the summit on much drier ground:
View south is partially spoiled by the Hill of Towie windfarm:
To the east and north-east, panoramas are much better:
The town of Rothes:
The outline of Ben Rinnes to the west:
The summit was surprisingly windy, but we still stopped here for a few minutes, just to take some snaps and enjoy the views, much better this time round!
The summit area is quite flat so the panos are not as breathtaking as in the west of the country, but the rural Moray and Aberdeenshire always looks nice in the fifty shades of autumn:
There are several options how to make this walk a circular. One is to descend north-east (there is a path) to join the Speyside Way, but we decided to go down the opposite side, the SW slopes, to join the cycling trail circling the hill. This was the only pathless stage of our walk, but going was easy on soft moss and heather:
Zoom to River Spey and Arndilly House:
Due north, more rural landscapes:
Having descended around 100m, we found a path (the cycle trail) and soon I located a picnic table in a sheltered spot. Good place to rest and have a lazy lunch:
Kevin wondered if it would be possible to descend from here through a firebreak to the Woods of Arndilly and join the Speyside Way for a bigger circuit, but I wasn't feeling great and didn't fancy forest trashing, so we simply followed the cycle trail around the southern side of Ben Aigan. The path contours the hill at the height of 400m and offers very good going:
At one point, the path passes just above the newly made lorry-turning area, the best sign that the forest of Aigan is soon going to disappear:
Later, we returned to the main track and walked back over Knock More, enjoying the eastern views once again:
Kevin trying to work out the names of the other local Marylins as future rambling targets
Having returned home, I was still complaining we haven't been to a proper mountain for a few weeks... Thankfully, the opportunity to climb a Munro arose the following weekend. We paid a visit to Torridon - TR in progress
