Cairnshee: This Tump was located south-east of Banchory and was accessed from an unclassified road to the west where I parked at the start of a vehicle track. This track was followed into Cairnshee Wood later leaving the track and walking through an area where the trees had been thinned out. Further on the fir trees were a bit more compact before I emerged into a small area of open ground where the summit was covered by a massive pile of stones. The return was slightly to the north to avoid some of the closer growing trees later re-joining the vehicle track and following it back to the start.
Mulloch Hill: To the south-west of Cairnshee and south-east of Banchory was the Tump, Mulloch Hill. I parked on the unclassified road to the south of this hill and headed through the forest on a vehicle track which dipped slightly before regaining the lost height. I later left this track and walked round the more mature trees before locating the highest point beside the base of one of those firs. A more direct route took me back to the vehicle track which was used to return to the start.
Craig of Dalfro: Located to the south-west of Banchory and south of Strachan this Tump was climbed from the unclassified road to its north-east. I parked opposite the road leading to Pitreadie Farm and walked along this road, through the farm where the house was boarded up, and onto the vehicle track that led into the forest. Followed this road round to the south side where located an obvious forest ride. I walked up this ride which higher up was blocked by numerous fallen trees and was a bit of an obstacle course. A short distance further on I was onto more open ground and located the trig point positioned behind a fir tree although the highest point was a nearby piece of grass/moss. The descent was by the upward route.
Ord of Tillyfumerie: Parked at the east side of the B974 Banchory to Fettercairn Road south-west of Strachan and at the start of the track leading into the forest. I walked east then north along this track until I reached the highest point of this Tump which appeared to be a banking of earth and heather on its north side. The return was by the upward route.
Sandy Hill: Having already climbed Clachnaben and Mount Shade I decided to avoid a re-ascent of these hills and approach the Tump, Sandy Hill, from the south. I parked just off the B974 Banchory to Fetercairn Road south of the bridge over the Spital Burn and walked west along the vehicle track to the bridge over the Water of Dye. Once across it I took a right, should have gone left, and on realising this mistake walked up an old vehicle track, now just a sheep trail, until it disappeared amongst the heather.
It was tough going through this heather and some tussoky ground. Near the top of Hill of Duclash there was a slight dip before heading towards the col between Clachnaben and Hill of Edendocher. I reached large areas of peat hags which on the whole were dry so I used them to gain height and eventually I arrived at the summit of Hill of Edendocher, a Sub Dodd, which was just a peat hag.
The descent west was on an upgraded track that headed through large areas of peat and hags before ascending Sandy Hill where the highest point was marked by a few stones on the grassy top above a peat hag.
I returned to Hill of Edendocher and used the vehicle track to descend south-east onto the west side of Cairn of Finglenny where I took a short diversion to ascend this hill. On returning to the vehicle track it soon turned south-west and gained a bit of height so I left it and descended south-east through heather to Glen Dye east of the man made lochan. I briefly walked along the higher track before a short descent through rough vegetation took me to the lower track which was followed back to the bridge over the Water of Dye and my car.
- Total time – 7.5 hours.
- Total distance – 30.75 kilometres.
- Total height climbed – 1040 metres.