Climb the two highest peaks of Bennachie, Oxen Craig and Mither Tap and enjoy fabulous sweeping views. The circuit returns over Craigshannoch.
Clear paths on exposed moorland, steep climb, rocky steps onto summit.
None to start, nearest bus on A96 near Kirton of Oyne, 4.5km from start.
Back o'Bennachie car park.
Start from the Back o'Bennachie car park (charge), just off the B9002 west of Oyne. Here there is an information board about the trails, toilets and a picnic area. This route takes the brown waymarked Quarry Trail path past the information board and gently climb through the trees until a track is reached. Here dog leg by turning right and then immediately left onto another path. Cross a stream at a bench and continue straight ahead when a path leaves to the right.
After an artwork on the left, a path leaves to the left, ignore this and continue uphill. Once out of the trees the path curves right on a clear path and then climbs more steeply over heathery moorland. A short detour path to visit Little Oxen Craig goes off to the right, but our route continues on to head for the main summit. When it is in view bear right at a fork for the final section before the summit of Oxen Craig is reached.
At 528 metres, this is the highest summit on Bennachie, just beating the Mither Tap at 518. There is a view indicator at the far end which shows all the hills that can be seen on a clear day. From the top head back a little way and descend stone steps down to the right, heading in the direction of the pointed peak of Mither Tap. Soon a junction is reached, keep straight on here.
At the next junction keep right, the left hand path leads to Craigshannoch which is visited on the return route. Keep following the clear path, turning right at the junction to head towards Mither Tap. The climb to the top is steep, ignore the path going off to the right before the steeper section and then head to the left to follow a stone path through the remains of the iron age fort to climb steps up to the rocky granite summit.
From the top descend back down through the fort and the first path junction. Here take the path straight ahead (the path to the right leads to the Bennachie Centre, and the one to the left is the outward route for this circuit). The path heads downhill and at the next junction turn left to climb up gently and head towards Craigshannoch.
Pass a detour to a cairn with a fine view on the right and at a T junction turn right and then right again to climb to the small summit. From here return to the main path and turn right to follow this path all the way back to the Back o'Bennachie car park, ignoring all turnings off and retracing the route through the trees including the dog leg to the right at the track.
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