Monday 3 October 2011

Ben Rinnes

A short visit to the North-East, Day 4

30 September 2011.

Participants - Neil and Ben
Where - Ben Rinnes, 840m/2,756', Corbett, Map 28, NJ 255355

The cloud had moved on overnight and it was another gloriously sunny day. However, more cloud and rain was forecast to move in from the west later in the day so I made an early start. It was a short drive to the start point- a car park just off the Dufftown to Tomintoul road. I was the first car there although another arrived just as I was setting off up the hill and it was joined by a few others during the course of the morning. This is a popular hill, probably because it is the highest in the area and has a good path up it. It also has a well defined outline and can be seen and identified from many miles away. This was my third visit and in easily the best weather.


The initial part of the track to the top of Round Hill was steep. The whole route opened up from there.....


The track continued over Roy's Hill.....


and then steepened again as it climbed towards the tors that marked the summit.....


The summit is called Scurran of Lochterlandoch- I love these north-east names! Although it was warm and sunny it was also windy and I was glad to find shelter in the lee of the summit tor while Ben explored a bit of the summit plateau.....


There was a real feeling of height up here; this is looking down on the sub-2,000' Marilyns of Meikle Conval and Little Conval.....


Other folk were starting to arrive as we set off down. Here is another view of the Convals' from lower down with Ben Aigan to the left again....


And that was the last hill of my short visit to the North-East. Four new sub-2,000' Marilyns for my list plus another visit to a popular Corbett in perfect weather conditions was not bad going! I completed a circuit by driving back via Tomintoul and Braemar. It started to rain about a mile from home.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Neil. Ben Rinnes is the 9th hill which both you and I have climbed in 2011. The others are Bin of Cullen, Meikle Bin, Carn nan Gabhair, Minch Moor, Morrone, Arthur's Seat, Cruach Tarbeirt and Newtyle Hill. Some you did before me and some I did before you.Considering how spread out these hills are + number of hills there are in Scotland this is quite a coincidence.

Linda said...

Another local one. You might be interested to see a winter ascent here on my blog:

http://occasionalscotland.blogspot.com/2009/01/skywatch-south-from-ben-rinnes.html

http://occasionalscotland.blogspot.com/2009/02/ben-rinnes-2.html

http://occasionalscotland.blogspot.com/2009/03/ben-rinnes-3.html

http://occasionalscotland.blogspot.com/2009/03/ben-rinnes-4.html

http://occasionalscotland.blogspot.com/2009/03/skywatch-friday-ben-rinnes-5.html

Neil said...

Hi Linda,

Glad you like the blog. These are great wee hills. I love coming up to this area, particularly as the weather is so much better than here in the west!

Hi anonymous,

Yeah, a fair sprad of hills and all good ones!

blueskyscotland said...

Enjoyed reading your trip round the hills and seeing clear summit pictures.The north east has had the best summer this year,no doubt about it.A new area for me.
bob.

Russell said...

I should have put my name to the anonymous comment. Don't know why I didn't. I see you live in Kirkie. I lived off and on in Lenzie for several years before moving to Stirling.