Cairn William, Monymusk

From the village of Monymusk in Aberdeenshire, I set off through the village and onto the vehicle track on the west side of the River Don.

Track alongside the River Don at Monymusk
Track alongside the River Don at Monymusk

This track was followed north onto the Monymusk to Pitfichie Road and at Pitfichie Cottage I walked along the access road for Royhall. I left this road at an obvious left hand bend and followed an eroded path through the trees onto one of the main tracks in Pitfichie Forest.

Track Pitfichie Forest
Track Pitfichie Forest

I walked south-west along this track.

Cairn William
Cairn William

On reaching the start of the path between Pitfichie Hill and Cairn William I headed up this path to the col between these two hills.

Track between Pitfichie Hill and Cairn William
Track between Pitfichie Hill and Cairn William

 From there a path zigzagged up the east face of the Marilyn, Cairn William on a fairly easy gradient.

Path to Cairn William
Path to Cairn William

After reaching the trig point I continued west on another path which took me to below the West Top.

Tap o'Noth in distance
Tap o’Noth in distance
Bennachie and Millstone Hill
Bennachie and Millstone Hill
Pitfichie Hill
Pitfichie Hill
River Don and Monymusk
River Don and Monymusk
Summit, Cairn William
Summit, Cairn William
Benaquhallie
Benaquhallie
Lochnagar in the distance
Lochnagar in the distance
West Top, Cairn William. Cairngorms in the distance
West Top, Cairn William. Cairngorms in the distance

Here a forest track headed south then south-east to rejoin the main forest track on the south-west side of Pitfichie Forest.

Standing Stone
Standing Stone

I walked north-east along this track to the point where I had left it earlier in the day then returned to Monymusk by the approach route.

  • Time taken – 3.25 hours.
  • Distance – 14.25 kilometres.
  • Height climbed – 480 metres.