Date/Time

Date(s) - 05/10/2014
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Walk Details

Pub Stop?: Yes
O/S Map Sheet No.: 37
Grid Ref. Start: 364970
Grid Ref. Finish 435044
Walk (Miles): 10
Walk Hours: 5
Bus Time to Walk:2
Bus Time from Walk: 1.5
Departure time from walk: 15:00


Walk Notes

AHWC. Pass of Ballater to Logie Coldstone (by Peter’s Hill and Morven).
5th October 2014. O.S.Map 37 (Strathdon).
N.B. 8.00am start from Aberdeen.
Today, we are back on Deeside to walk the hills to the north side of Ballater. Your Club have not been in the area since October 2005. Last year, we were unable to cross the Morven and Lary Burns as they were in full spate – hence the starting point of this year’s walk. This walk is a through one, so members who require a shorter walk – please indicate your intentions with your committee member in charge of the bus, so that early discussions can take place with the driver.
The walk commences on the B972 Pass of Ballater road (NGR 364 970), just before the access turn-off road to the farm of Balmenach. Please exit the bus quickly, as this is a fairly busy and narrow road. Our track leaves the road on the north side and soon begins to climb, following a burn on its east side, to pass through some trees before crossing the western shoulder of Creagan Riabhach and heading N’wards towards the summit of Peter’s Hill, ignoring paths to your left and right. From the summit, return to the inwards track and again head N’wards. Go straight ahead at a split in the path at NGR 356 014 to arrive at a T junction at NGR 357 026. Turn right here and soon leave this track at a faint path (approx. NGR 358 026), near a burn coming down off Morven. Ascend this faint track, N’wards, then eventually E’wards, keeping to the shoulder of the hill to gain the summit of Morven (871m). At the summt cairn, if the weather is good, you will get a tremendous panoramic view of the Dee Valley (to the south) and the Howe of Cromar (to the east). Descend E’wards from the top along the shoulder of Morven, passing a large cairn on the left and soon veer S’wards and downwards on a wide track (not marked on the 1:50,000 O.S. Map) to pick up a path below Bad na Beinne, heading NE’wards towards Balhennie to reach an unclassified metalled road near Milton of Whitehouse. Walk E’wards along this road and branch off NE’wards just before Bridgend and head through the forest to reach our bus at Logie Coldstone (NGR 435 044).
Walking distance approx. 10 miles