I left my car at the start of the vehicle track on the north side of the B972 Pass of Ballater, east of Monaltrie, and walked up this track through the forest on a steady gradient. Just prior to reaching the communications tower another track continued through the forest, below Creagan Riabhach East Top, and onto the open hillside. From there I ascended the Tump, Creagan Riabhach.
I then descended north onto a vehicle track which took me to the col with Peter’s Hill and onto its west ridge. I then climbed through heather to the summit of this Tump. The descent was via the west ridge across more heather and briefly along a vehicle track then an ATV track towards Peter’s Hill West Top. (Sub Dodd) After visiting this summit I continued to Hill of Candacraig.
From this Tump I descended to the vehicle track beside the Glenbardy Burn and followed it through the trees and to a stock gate. Instead of passing through this gate and searching for the continuation of the track I utilised the vehicle track that headed uphill. This took me back above the tree line where I cut across some rough vegetation to the track on the east side of the Loin Burn and used it to return to the Pass of Ballater west of the starting point.
- Time taken – 5.25 hours.
- Distance – 16 kilometres.
- Height climbed – 780 metres.