It was -5C when we left home and -2C when we arrived at Insch for an ascent of these hills. We opted for an ascent of Hill of Dunnideer first, which is a very easy up and down from the small parking area.
Hills: Hill of Dunnideer
Date: Sunday 20th November 2016
Company: Myself, Becky and Cuillin
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
From the parking area, after having a quick read of the information board, we made our way up the hill.
Dunnideer Hillfort car park sign:
Dunnideer Hillforts Information Board:
I have passed Hill of Dunnideer countless times on the train to Aberdeen. It was nice at long last to be heading up it. This is definitely a hill for all ages as you can literally get to the top in 10-15 minutes.
Track leading to Hill of Dunnideer:
The weather was stunning, a perfect clear, crisp morning.
Beautiful day for an ascent of Hill of Dunnideer:
Hill of Dunnideer:
We didn't bother with a rucksack for these hills, we were both carrying nothing more than cameras.
Becky ascending Hill of Dunnideer:
Becky ascending Hill of Dunnideer:
Final ascent of Hill of Dunnideer:
I hadn't realised that the ruins at the summit were quite so old. The castle ruins date back to the thirteenth century.
Approaching the summit:
Insch:
We spent some time at the summit having a look around the castle ruins.
C13th castle ruins:
C13th castle ruins:
Becky at the castle ruins:
Myself on the castle ruins:
Tap o'Noth and Bennachie are both very prominent from the summit.
Tap o'Noth (zoom):
View towards Tap o'Noth:
As well as the summit having C13th castle ruins, there are also the remains of a much older vitrified hill fort.
Vitrified hillfort remains:
From the summit, we made our way back down to the car taking care not to slip on the frozen-hard ground.
Looking back to C13th castle ruins:
On reaching the car, we drove round to a potential starting point for an ascent of Hill of Christ's Kirk.
Hills: Hill of Christ's Kirk
Date: Sunday 20th November 2016
Company: Myself, Becky and Cuillin
We parked next to a gate where there is room for one or two cars.
Parking on roadside verge:
From the roadside verge, we followed a track leading towards Sleepytown. As I had forgotten to take my phone with me, I have no details of our routes or stats for these hills. We didn't have a map, so we just explored to find a way up.
Becky and Cuillin heading for Hill of Christ's Kirk:
On reaching the end of the forest near Sleepytown, we continued to follow the track leading uphill.
Track towards Sleepytown:
Heading uphill:
At some point we definitely lost the good path and ended up on a poorer path and then non-existent path up through long grass. If you keep going up until there is no more up, it is usually a good way of reaching the summit!
Heading through long grass:
We eventually got back onto the good track just a few metres from the summit. To get to the trig point we had to step over a rusty barbed-wire fence.
Becky and Cuillin at the summit of Hill of Christ's Kirk:
View towards Hill of Dunnideer and Insch:
View towards Bennachie:
After taking a few pics at the summit, we made our way back down this time following the good track downhill towards Sleepytown.
A nice very easy day out up a HuMP and a TuMP.