I left my car on some rough ground on the unclassified road immediately opposite the Clatterin Brig Restaurant, crossed the B974 Fettercairn to Banchory Road, and walked along the vehicle track on the north side of the Back Burn of Arnbarrow. At one of the metal footbridges I crossed this stream, there appeared to be a path, but I was soon amongst the bracken and rowan trees. Once clear of them it was through heather of various lengths and to the summit of Arnbarrow Hill although the highest point of this Tump wasn’t obvious.
I descended north-west later joining a vehicle track and used it and others to reach the foot of Whitelaws and commence its ascent. The final track came to an end so I followed deer tracks to reach the summit of this Tump, again the highest point wasn’t obvious.
From Whitelaws I descended south-west along the edge of a fence and at times walked through dry peat hags making reasonable progress. This led to the vehicle track that ran below the east side of Hound Hillock then another track took me close to the summit of this Tump where I visited the trig point and an area of heather to the north-west which appeared higher.
I returned to the vehicle track and walked south-west passed a new shooter’s hut briefly leaving the track to take in the summit of Earn Cairn, a Sub Dodd, although the highest point wasn’t obvious. I returned to the vehicle track and after a short descent it took me through peat hags and to the trig point on the Tump, Sturdy Hill. The ground on the other side of the deer fence appeared higher so I also visited it.
After a break here I returned along the vehicle track to beyond the shooter’s hut and descended east via another track to above the woods on the north side of Brunt Hill. Here new tracks had been constructed and these took me closer to Garrol Hill than I expected. I then crossed some heather and an old vehicle track to reach the summit of this Tump, although its highest point wasn’t obvious.
The descent north was through long heather and bracken, across a vehicle track, then over more bracken and the Burn of Carrol to reach King’s Deer Park. Vehicle tracks were utilised to get to the north side of Arnbarrow Hill then more heather and bracken bashing followed as well as an awkward crossing of the Burn of Arnbarrow. This led to the vehicle track on its north side which was used to return to the start.
- Time taken – 7.25 hours.
- Distance – 23.5 kilometres.
- Height climbed – 905 metres.