Creag Phiobaid – Parked on the south side of the B976 South Deeside Road, west of Ballater, at the start of the vehicle track leading to Loch Ullachie and walked along this track through the trees and onto the open hillside. I then followed a lesser used track which led across to the col between Tom an Lagain and the Tump, Creag Phiobaid. I later left this track and climbed through heather, some of which had been burnt, to Creag Phiobaid’s highest point which I thought was a mound of heather. I also visited a cairn to the north which appeared to be lower. The return was by the upward route.
Auchnacraig Hill – This Tump was located to the east of Glen Muick, south of Ballater. I left my car on a tarred area on the west side of the Glen Muick Road south-west of the Allt Chholzie and briefly walked south-west along the road before leaving it and crossing a locked deer gate. Some rough ground amongst birch trees was crossed to reach a deer fence. Once over it there was some brash to contend with before reaching the mature trees which were well enough spaced to allow me to make the ascent of Auchnacraig Hill where the summit was on open ground. The return was slightly further west avoiding the deer fence and took me to an unlocked gate followed by a few hundred metres of road walking.
The Cairns of Cul nan Gad – I moved my vehicle south-west in Glen Muick to a grassy area just north of the vehicle track that ran below The Cairns of Cul nan Gad and used this track to ascend the south side of the hill. I later left the track and crossed heather to reach the large boulder marking the summit of this Tump. I then returned to the vehicle track, briefly walked along it, before crossing heather and grasses to reach the foot of Craggan Hill. From there I climbed onto the north ridge and to its summit. The descent was via the north ridge and onto the Glen Muick Road.
- Total time – 4.5 hours.
- Total distance – 13 kilometres.
- Total height climbed – 650 metres.