Black Craig, Slain a Gour and Creag na Slice – I parked in the designated car park at the end of the public road in Glen Tanar, beside the nearby Glen Tanar House, accessed from the B976 South Deeside Road west of Aboyne. I then set out for the long walk south-west through Glen Taner using the vehicle track on the north side of the Water of Tanar. Around six kilometres later I emerged from the trees and after a further kilometre I came to the split in the track and took the higher route which later turned north-east and below the east side of Cairn Nairvie. Near the track’s highest point I left it and climbed to the flat summit of this Sub Dodd, although the highest point wasn’t obvious.
On returning to the vehicle track I descended to Black Moss and to a stock gate and fence just beyond the lochan. Here I left the track and ascended Craigrae Beg following a swathe of cut heather. The summit of this Sub Dodd was also not obvious but may have been a point where there were a few stones located. Remaining on the south side of the fence a swathe of heather and an old path led to the col with Black Craig. I then ascended this Tump where a cairn marked its summit. There were views of Mount Keen but some of the hills to the west and north were in cloud.
I descended north-east along traces of a path and from then on was annoyed by flies. The path became intermittent as I made my way onto Slai na Gour, the summit of this Tump was marked by a large cairn. It was then through long heather to reach the col with Creag na Slice where the ground would normally be quite boggy but was just damp in places after a long dry spell. There were then traces of an old vehicle track which I initially used before entering the trees and climbing to the trig point marking the summit of the Tump, Creag na Slice. I then descended south-west through trees and bracken to reach an old vehicle track which led to a field then other tracks took me back to the car park at Glen Tanar House.
Belrori Hill – On my drive out of Glen Tanar I made a slight diversion to park at the west side of Belrorie Hill and walked through some rather rough ground as the trees had recently been thinned. Beyond it was a short walk through more trees to reach the summit of this Tump. The return was by the ascent route.
- Total time – 5.5 hours.
- Total distance – 21 kilometres.
- Total height climbed – 695 metres.