Meikle Tap and Greymore – Parked in a lay-by on the B977 Echt to Raemoir Road, south of the access road to Newfield Farm, crossed the road, then it was a short walk along a path to reach a forest track. I briefly walked south along this track and at a junction a path headed south-west through the trees and led to the open hillside then up the north-east ridge of Meikle Tap. The summit trig point and cairn of this Tump was reached with good views of the surrounding countryside and the snow covered hills to the west. There was also a communications mast located here.
I descended west then north on a vehicle track to the ‘T’ junction east of Greymore. From there I walked west along the vehicle track that ran below the south side of this hill before leaving it and climbing through deep heather and some bracken. The gradient later eased and I gained the cairn marking the summit of the Tump, Greymore, located close to a stone dyke.
After taking in the views I descended south-east through the heather, avoiding some rocks to rejoin the vehicle track. It was followed east along the side of the forest before entering the trees. On nearing the north edge of the forest and at a crossroads junction I took a right and this track led back to the path used at the start of this walk.
Craigrath: Parked on the north side of the A980 Banchory to Torphins Road, west of its junction with the B977 Raemoir to Echt Road at the start of a farm track, and walked east along this track to the Raemoir House Hotel. I continued along another track to the ruin at Burnhead then below the west side of Craigbeg and round the south and west sides of Craigrath. There was a small cairn at the edge of the track but it appeared that the highest point of this Tump was a clump of heather a few metres to the north-east. The return was by the ascent route.
Hill of Brathens: Parked on the minor road leading to Brathens Moss, accessed from the A980 Banchory to Raemoir Road, and walked north to the Brathens Business Centre looking for a route onto the Tump, Hill of Brathens. A vehicle track leading to an enclosed area owned by Scottish Water was located and beyond this area I walked through the trees, crossing several fallen ones, to reach the trig point. I also visited a point further west which was equally as high. Returned to the enclosed area then followed the vehicle track back to the start.
- Total time – 5.75 hours.
- Total distance – 21.25 kilometres.
- Total height climbed – 855 metres.