| Date | 5 May 2025 |
| Route |
Link to Route 1
Link to Route 2 |
| Enjoyable | |
| Difficulty | |
| Conditions | Clear and sunny, but cold wind at times |
| Summits | ✔ (C) Ben Rinnes ✔ (C) Corryhabbie Hill |
Exam season for Ailidh, but wanted to take advantage of the nice weather so headed up to Dufftown to tackle the nearby Corbetts.
Arrived at the Ben Rinnes car park around quarter past eight, at this time there was plenty of spaces and was geared up and started by half past. Heading through a gate there are a couple of switchbacks section that gains you some quick height, then a flatter section before a climb up Roy's hill.
From here there is some respite for a while before the steep main climb, there are several zig zags and at times some steps; anyone else hate steps? At the top of the steep section, the ascent eases off, but you still have around a hundred metres to the Ben Rinnes tors and the trig point, today it still had a little snow and ice.
Bumped in to a younger walker and his dog that are off todo Mont Blanc in the summer, the walker I presume and not the dog! Cool breeze at the top and quite overcast in the distance, with only glimpses of the snow topped Cairngorms.
On the way back I past a lot of walkers starting their ascent, especially towards the start point. Once back at the car, I brewed up some coffee and had an early lunch. The car park at this point was full.
Jumped in the car and headed a couple of miles south west to the start point of the second walk of the day, parking for only 3 cars and lucky enough to get the last spot.
This route starts with a short walk towards a farm before cutting through a field towards a gate leading through some trees into a field of sheep. Head through this field along the grass track to another gate and keep following the track first east then south west. As you slowly climb up through the field, you can see a fence with heather on the other side, you can either head to the broken down part of the fence, or head to the south corner where there is a pipe cover over the barbed wire allowing a safe crossing.
There is a pretty easy narrow track through the heather that leads up to the top of the Hill of Achmore then on to a gate with no wire on one side. From here it is a little boggier until you start the quite steep climb up Muckle Lapprach. I made the slight detour to the cairn which has great views towards the Cairngorms.
From here its a very short climb up onto Corryhabbie Hill itself, passing the parked 4x4, surely that's cheating! The cairn and the strange trig point is on a few minutes walk away.
The weather at this point would have been 'taps-aff' if not for the cold breeze, so decided to complete the circuit instead of retracing my route. It's a straightforward walk north east along Mortons Way taking in some great views of the north east. Eventually heading down some switch backs then a left turn along the way, at times the track much rockier and uneven.
After the first ford, you head through a gate and a field of newly planted trees, then through another ford. From here follow the track for a while until you reach a junction and turn left. A short walk takes you just past a ruined house where you turn to the right and down over the last ford, this one with a good bit more water. A steep climb up the slope leads to a gate taking you back into the field of sheep.
This was a nice couple of walks, completing them well under the guide times, I maybe need to slow down a bit and take more breaks when walking myself!
