Craig Ferrar, Craig Dhu Mulloch and Tomachallich: I left my car in the parking/picnic area on the south side of the A93 Ballater to Aboyne Road beside the Gliding Centre, west of Aboyne and walked east along the A93 then up a little used vehicle track heading north-west towards Braeroddach. Around half way along this track I left it, crossed some vegetation with numerous hollows caused by cattle hooves, and into an area of gorse and broom. These obstacles continued all the way to the summit of the Tump, Craig Ferrar, where it took me a while to locate the trig point which was concealed behind one of these bushes.
I then descended north through more gorse and broom as well as some well spaced trees before crossing a fence. There was then more of the same as I headed for the summit of Craig Dhu. The highest point of this Tump was on a small clearing close to the deer fence.
From there I descended west through a mixture of vegetation then crossed some fields to reach the south side of Mulloch. A fence, an old stone dyke, and a rough area of ground had to be negotiated then I headed through cut down gorse bushes to gain the summit of this Tump marked by a cairn and a large pile of boulders.
I returned to the field west of the property at Knockenzie and walked briefly along some tracks to the north side of Tomachallich, the third one ending in a small quarry. It was then through well spaced trees to an area of broom where the summit of this Tump was located but despite wandering through the broom I wasn’t able to determine the actual highest point.
The descent east was through more trees, rough vegetation and a field of cattle before locating the vehicle track north of Braeroddach. This track took me through the farm at Braeroddach then to east of Ferrar and back to the A93 and the start.
Knockargety: I left my car at the entrance to the forest track on the unclassified road north of Leys on the B9119, south-west of Tarland, and walked west along this marked track. Later a marked path led to the summit area of Knockargety although the highest point of this Tump wasn’t obvious despite wandering around either side of the barbed wire fence. The return was by the approach route.
- Total time – 3.75 hours.
- Total distance – 13.25 kilometres.
- Total height climbed – 385 metres.