Creag Ghiubhais, tough going but only for a short time!

[The Rodmiester]

I was hoping to be first to put a TR on this wee hill but my mate JC beat me to it by a day, I see, well here goes anyway. Left Ballater after having a bacon roll and coffee and headed over the bridge over the river Dee and turned right as if to go towards Glen Muick, but take the B976 at the Bridge of Muick to the South of the river Dee and head towards Balmoral Castle, after passing a Memorial well to Queen Victoria at 5k on your left, just around the corner there is an access gate in the deer fence, park car here, places for a couple of cars.

Parking space at gate, follow the grassy track which heads South

Not long after the track leaves the trees head on up the West shoulder of Creag Ghiubhais, there is no path and is pretty dense heather and becomes more rocky further up but not for long soon the gradient flattens out, but still very dense underfoot

More rocks and thick heather slopes

Looking back at Lochnagar

Summit cairn, return the same way. 25mins to top 15mins return to car, ca canny going down as well as heather there are a lot of old tree stumps, unseen.

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[Johnny Corbett]

I was gonna take that route Rod. That's some coincidence you doing those hills around Ballater the day after me. One thing about your cairn, it's differant from my summit photo. Must be two up there, just hope their the same height.

[The Rodmiester]

I was gonna take that route Rod. That's some coincidence you doing those hills around Ballater the day after me. One thing about your cairn, it's differant from my summit photo. Must be two up there, just hope their the same height.

I thought that when I saw your photo, were you looking East as I took mine from the North side, what do you think? By the way got my first tick this year, must have been on this hill with all that deep heather!

[Johnny Corbett]

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&gs_rn=12 ... h=907Looks like your photo is the summit Rod

[The Rodmiester]

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&gs_rn=12 ... h=907Looks like your photo is the summit Rod

Thanks for that JC, still don't know, there are a few photos and they all are taken from different angles, but at least I now know it's the small Cairn for the Coyles of Muick

[Graeme D]

Man, your catching up with my Sub2K count!!!!!

As for Mr Corbett, you've got to be quick (like a time traveller sort of thing!) to beat him to these little 'uns!

Looks tough but worth it Rod!

[The Rodmiester]

Man, your catching up with my Sub2K count!!!!!

As for Mr Corbett, you've got to be quick (like a time traveller sort of thing!) to beat him to these little 'uns!

Looks tough but worth it Rod!

Hi there Graeme D, think I have given up on trying to keep up with JC, seems he has even more time on his hands than even me, and here's me fully retired As and when you do this one I think your better approaching from the West side, although as you say, it's hard going in any direction, really deep heather and loads of rocks, no burnt back areas here! Make sure you find the right cairn as there would appear to be two, neither JC or I are completely sure if we were at the same cairn. How are your days on the hill going? you appear to be going for the bigger ones again.

[foggieclimber]

Good to see others chasing Marilyns - it's addictive!
I didn't enjoy Creag Ghiubhais - deep heather and bl**dy steep. I went up its East ridge.

[The Rodmiester]

Good to see others chasing Marilyns - it's addictive!
I didn't enjoy Creag Ghiubhais - deep heather and bl**dy steep. I went up its East ridge.

Hi there foggieclimber, that way looks much steeper than the way I went up!. I don't think there is an easy way up this hill, can you remember what the cairn looked like? Did you go straight up as per your photograph or did you skirt around East or West of the crags?

[gmr82]

Nice walk Rodmiester, always had this in mind when back Aberdeen way. Something has always really intrigued me about this hill. Not entirely sure why, but I guess due to its relative ease for accessing its start point (if not the ease of climb) and how few WH's have climbed it.

Gotta laugh at JC beating you by a day, as I've also noted for the last year that there has been no TR!!

[The Rodmiester]

Nice walk Rodmiester, always had this in mind when back Aberdeen way. Something has always really intrigued me about this hill. Not entirely sure why, but I guess due to its relative ease for accessing its start point (if not the ease of climb) and how few WH's have climbed it.

Gotta laugh at JC beating you by a day, as I've also noted for the last year that there has been no TR!!

gmr82, trust JC! I wonder which way your going to tackle this one, JC and I need a check on the TWO cairns at the top, I did not see his, nor did he mine! need a GPS check on them. It's hard going up any way!, all the best when you do it, one good thing it's DRY underfoot condtions. Come on join the few WH's who have climbed it