This pleasant circuit follows tracks and mountain biking paths through the forests and over the heathery, granite ridge of Cairn William. There are good views over the Aberdeenshire countryside.
Shared mountain bike trail, track and path, some steep sections.
None to start; nearest bus route 600m at junction with B993.
Pitfitche MTB trails Forestry Commission car park.
The Pitfichie Forestry Commission car park is signed from the B993 Monymusk road just northeast of the A944. Here there is a board showing the mountain bike trails. This route follows the white Pitfichie Forest Trail to point 13 where it heads up the red Cairn William Trail to reach the summit. On this section mountain bikers should mostly be riding towards you if you follow the route as described; when on the narrow part of the trail, please step off the route to allow them to pass easily. Start the walk by heading up the wide track, through the gate and continuing uphill.
At the junction marked 2 keep right and soon the Whitehills Stone Circle can be viewed on the left. This is a recumbant megalithic stone circle, relatively common in this part of Scotland, one large stone is bordered by two upright flankers which a stone cairn in the middle - it is thought the stone circle was designed to frame the moon when it becomes a "standstill moon" and event that only takes place every 18.6 years. The stone circle is likely to date back to late Neolithic or early Bronze age, approximately 4000 years ago. From the stone circle continue along the track.
There are good views over the rolling countryside towards the coast to the east, including over an equestrian centre as the undulating track traverses the side of the hill on the edge of the forestry. When a junction is reached with the number 5 marker, keep right to head downhill. Ignore an informal path coming down through the forest on the left and after a bend to the right turn left up a wide track marked for the red mountain bike route.
The track climbs steeply and steadily. Near the top, ignore the path on the right which leads up to Pitfichie Hill and continue beyond the crest before taking the path on the left marked Pitfichie with a no-entry sign for mountain bikers (who are required to go the opposite way). The zig-zag route up Cairn William can be clearly seen ahead. The narrow path climbs through the heather and up the wide zig-zags with good view back over the peaks of Bennachie. Any mountain bikers coming towards you may be travelling at speed - this path was really built for them, so do step aside into the heather to let them pass easily.
Eventually the trig point of the summit comes into view and a short detour path to the right reaches it. From here there are panoramic views taking in the Correen Hills, Aberdeenshire coast and Bennachie. From the summit continue southwest crossing large slabs of bare granite and then following a clear path through the heather along the ridge.
When this descends to a track (marker 16) turn left. Soon turn left at a wide junction (marker 6) and follow this downhill. This reaches the outward track at marker 5, bear right here to follow the long, undulating track all the way back to the car park, keeping left at marker post 2 to return to the start.
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