The first hill today was the Hump, Tips of Clunymore, north-east of Dufftown. I left my car at the start of the vehicle track on the south side of the B9014 then walked up this track taking me through the forest which had been partially harvested. On reaching an area between new plantings and mature firs I left the track and followed the edge of the old trees. Beyond the trees went through some heather, grass and gorse before crossing a stock fence to visit the highpoint, some stones beside the fence.
To the north of the above Hump was the Tump, Scaut Hill. I parked at the side of the minor road to the north and walked along a short section of forest track then used fire breaks, a couple of which were blocked by fallen trees, to reach the open hillside then it was a further 100 metres to the summit trig point.
I then moved to the A941 south of Craigellachie and parked at the side of this road then walked east along a vehicle track before entering and climbing through some trees which were well spaced. At the top end went over a barbed wire fence and entered and crossed a field to reach a heap of stones marking the summit of the Tump, Hill of Buchromb. On my return I bypassed the wood by descending through a couple of fields.
South of Craigellachie and from a minor road just south of the A95 I parked beside a set of gates then walked north-east up a grassy track to its highpoint. Here left the track, crossed some rough ground and a fallen tree to reach the summit of the Tump, Tom an Urie.
The next hill was Knock of Allachie located south of Aberlour or giving it its full name, Charlestown of Aberlour. I left my car beside a passing place on the unclassified road to the north of this Tump then walked south along an old track, overgrown in places. The track took me round the east and south sides of the hill and to a deer fence which was followed north. Once over it I walked through rough vegetation where new fir trees had been planted visiting a few boulders around the summit area as I couldn’t tell which was the highest. On returning to and re-crossing the deer fence I descended north-east through the well spaced trees to rejoin the track used earlier following it back to the start.
The final hill of the day was Cat’s Craig to the south of Dufftown. I parked on an unclassified road to the east and walked briefly south along this road to a stile over a stock fence. I then headed across a grassy field containing sheep to reach the edge of some trees where I crossed another stock fence and visited a couple of points beside the fence which were potential high points for this Tump.
- Total time – 3.5 hours.
- Total distance – 12 kilometres.
- Total height climbed – 555 metres.