Thursday 15 March 2012

Millstone Hill

14 March 2012

Participants - Neil and Ben
Where - Millstone Hill, 409m/ 1,342', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 38, NJ 676202

It looked as though the weather was going to do a repeat performance of the day before- cloudy early with sunshine breaking through in the afternoon. So I took my time getting started. I had climbed Bennachie a few years previously but it has a southern outlier, Millstone Hill, which is a sub-2,000' Marilyn in its own right. Just right for a short day before doing the drive home. I took this picture of it- with the river Don in the foreground and the Mither Tap to its right- later in the day.....


The start point was the Forestry Commission's  Donview  car park. No problems route finding today, there was a signposted trail all the way to the top.....


The trail headed steeply up through a dark bit of forest with wooden steps to aid progress; higher up it became a stone staircase.....


The trees gradually thinned, it became less steep and we were soon approaching the top.....


The main reason for climbing this hill, apart from getting the Marilyn "tick" of course, was for the fine view of the Mither Tap of Bennachie that you get from the cairn.....


Bennachie is another one that I will have to go back to on a future visit. But that was it for this wee trip; a few days sunshine and some more interesting small hills visited in what I think is very pleasant countryside.

3 comments:

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Neil.
An area I,ve always wanted to visit.Looks a fine viewpoint.

Neil said...

This part of the country tends to get much better weather than we do in Glasgow. So I've found myself heading to the North-east a few times in recent months. There's lots of hills to do! Bennachie is the best of the lot with a number of possible routes; the Mither Tap is very distinctive.

blueskyscotland said...

Alas I can only afford the extra fuel now to go that distance if I,m with a crowd to share the costs.At £60 quid a tank solo it certainly makes you plan your trips to get the most out of them.