A bimble that took us up Clachnaben, Aberdeenshire

Our main aim on Saturday was just to go for a bimble. It was a lovely day, the sun was finally shining so we took it at a leisurely pace, just wandering along the path one foot in front of the other, not really knowing where the day would take us.

 

We crossed a few wooden bridges over streams, and our little one enjoyed throwing in bits of fern and rushing to the other side to see them float downstream. We crossed a stile, taking note of the sign warning of adders in the area. Thankfully we didn’t see any. The path got a bit smaller and overgrown on this section, and as the uphill began our son decided to get in the back carrier for a while.

 

Once out of the trees, the path opened up again and out he got, stretching those legs and eager to do some more running. Oh, how I wish I had the energy of a 3 year old!

 

We were at the top in time for a bit of lunch, having found a somewhat sheltered spot.

 

We didn’t linger long, and headed back downhill, deciding instead to stop for a bit longer by the stile for another snack before getting back to the van.

 

We didn’t set out to get to the top of Clachnaben, but we’re glad we did. One foot in front of the other and letting our son do the leading while exploring a new area and we reached the top with a few giggles and high fives.

Trip report

• Location: Aberdeenshire
• Nearest town: Banchory
• Car parking: Forest carpark near north of Bridge of Dye
• Distance: 9km as a return trip to the car park
• Elevation: 589m with 511m of ascent
• Duration: It took us just under 5hours though our son walked a lot of the way so we went at his pace.
• Exposure: The walks starts from the carpark with a short section through woods. There is also another wooded sheltered section further on.
• What to wear: Prepare for anything so pack for everything.
• Kid friendly: The path is in excellent condition, though closer to the top it obviously gets more rougher with bigger steps. Take care on descent as can be slippery.
• Any tips? The car park fills up quickly though there is a small section of additional parking on the road just by the car park.

 

***Please note: This is a blog that was previously published on another of our blogs Adventurous Little Legs, and linked to an online store we also had. We have closed these both down. All content and pictures remain those of Stacey and Keith at Adventurous Little Legs and An Outdoors Family.