Walking Britain Aberdeenshire Walk
Bennachie - Oxen Craig and Mither Tap
Maps | |||
| Ordnance Survey Explorer 421 | Sheet Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Explorer 421 | Digital Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Ordnance Survey Landranger 38 | Sheet Map | 1:50k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Landranger 38 | Digital Map | 1:50k | BUY |
It is recommended you take a map. The preferred scale is 1:25k. | |||
Walk Route Description
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This fine walk to the west of Inverurie offers some fine views and excellent walking. The start of the route is the Back o' Bennachie car park and picnic area (grid ref. NJ661245) where charges apply. The start is reached down a minor road running south from the B9002 just west of Bogend. The route should be saved for fine weather as good visibility provides much wider views across the surrounding countryside and hills.
After parking follow the path south following the signs for the Mither Tap Quarry Trail. The path climbs beside Gillree Burn through forest to reach open hillside. Continue uphill to Little Oxen Craig, the first of four summits visited during the walk before continuing south to Oxen Craig (grid ref. NJ663226), which also the highest point on the walk.
From here descend east and continue across moorland before turning southeast to the rocky summit of Mither Tap with its hilltop fort dating back over 2000 years. To start the return route, continue through the gateway to the fort and head north for just under half a mile to a junction (grid ref. NJ681230). Here bear left and continue in a westerly direction, to reach in a further half a mile the final summit of the walk, Craigshannoch.
Leave this minor top in a south-westerly direction towards Oxen Craig. The path contours around Gill Well, turning northwest to re-join the outward route on the approach to Little Oxen Craig. From here retrace your steps down to the start following signs for Back o' Bennachie.
Other walks nearby
Walk 1771 Ladder Hills from Chapeltown, Glenlivet - mod/hard - 9.5 miles/15.4 km
Walk 1777 Carn Daimh from Glenlivet - moderate - 8.5 miles/13.8 km
Walk 3108 Creag Choinnich circular from Braemar - easy/mod - 4.0 miles/6.5 km
Walk 2706 Morrone (Morven) from Braemar - moderate - 7.4 miles/12 km
Walk 2031 Abernethy Forest, Cairngorms - easy/mod - 10.2 miles/16.6 km
Walk 1119 Ben Macdui, Carn a' Mhaim via Derry Lodge from Linn of Dee - hard - 19.0 miles/30.9 km
Walk 1881 Ben Macdui & Cairn Lochan from the Ski Centre - hard - 10.4 miles/16.9 km
Walk 2672 Cairngorm Mountain via Coire an t-Sneachda - mod/hard - 6.0 miles/9.8 km
Walk 1390 Cairn Lochan via the Fiacaill Buttress from the Ski Centre - very hard - 5.7 miles/9.3 km
Walk 1276 Loch Avon Circular via Cairn Gorm Mountain - hard - 9.0 miles/14.6 km
Recommended Books & eBooks
Navigation
This pocket handbook to navigation will help you master the necessary map and compass skills for mountain walking. Chapters include map scales, symbols and contours, grid references, map reading, bearings, route planning and night and bad-weather navigation, as well as navigating with a GPS.
More information
The End to End Trail
