First 2011 monthly walk - Bennachie

From http://bvhill-walkers.blogspot.com/

What a glorious morning we chose for our first "training" walk of 2011 - a beautiful warm, sunny and still day as we made our way to Back of Bennachie to start our walk through the forest paths and up the Mither Tap Quarry Trail, taking in 3 of the peaks of Bennachie in a round trip.

Dan was a late withdrawal but Ken, Dave, Colin, Ian and I all congregated at the golf club at 8 am and drove north. By the time we were all togged up - and after a slight overshoot by Ken in his Volvo - it was 8:55 am before we started walking. The paths are well manicured and signposted - the start is through forests before opening out on to the open hills:

 After a short climb we were soon out in the open:

The first peak was Oxen Craig, which is actually 10 metres higher than the better known Mither Tap:

We came down from that peak and walked over towards Mither Tap, which is the site of a Pictish fort:

The traditional team photo at the top of course:

That peak was busy - lots of folk out on Easter Sunday for a ramble - but the last peak (Craigshannoch - 450 metres) was much quieter. On the way back down to the car park, we suddenly appreciated that it had been a fairly sharp climb up to the first peak. I didn't switch on my tracking system until we got to the top of Oxen Craig (528 metres) so the stats recorded omit the first hour and the highest climb, but here they are anyway:

Then it was down to the main business of the day - find a local hostelry with ale - and we did - just 2 miles away was the Hunter's Moon, Premnay - or is it in Auchleven? Excellent pints of Willie's Crown Jewels, Bateman's celebration of the coming nuptials.

So now, we need to plan the May walk. I can't make Sunday 8th, and would prefer not to go on Sunday 22nd, but otherwise I'm OK. We would try to plan it round a weekend when most were available - ideally coinciding with one of Dave's weekends back home. Let me know your availability please.