There is no mountain in Aberdeenshire or indeed in the north of Scotland better known or visited than Bennachie - Alex Inkson Mc Connachie, 1980.
Well considering the number of people ascending and descending from Mither Tap, I suppose it still holds true. I had never encountered so many people or cute four legged companions before on any of our walking trips. It was a beautiful sunny spring day and probably the crisp golden rays acted as magnet drawing young and old alike to climb the hill and get a splendid view of Aberdenshire, which was drowned in the shade of grey until a few days ago. For me this was a joyous reminder that summer would be peeking out soon. It seemed like a happy family day, the only problem was capturing a frame without the enthusiastic climbers being a part of it.
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| It is much more than a tiny tea room |
We started our walk much before the Bennachie information centre, as the nearest bus stop is about 2 miles away. On our way, we took a short break at old post office tea room that has an extremely amicable staff and serves the best lemon chicken sandwich I have ever had. So, 40 minutes and a sandwich later we arrived at the parking lot, where normally people begin their walk along one of the several trails in the region. It was a good warm up as there was a tough day ahead of us.
During the pre-trail walk through a country road, we were trying to anticipate which of the visible hills was our challenge that day and both of us put our bet undisputedly over a barren looking, ragged hill standing out in comparison to others. I kept scratching my head, thinking how would we climb such a rough looking rocky terrain. I even tried to spot people on the summit but it was hard to assess anything from such a distance. The thought of climbing that hill was sending chills down my spine or more appropriately my knees, but true to my fears it was indeed the one.
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| Is that the one?... |
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| Discover the secrets of Benachie at the visitor centre |
Bennachie is a hill range with a variety of natural habitat that is home to diverse array of species. To explore its natural and historical heritage there are trails to suit different abilities. Among the handful of hills in the region, Mither Tap looms at a height of 518 m exerting a powerful presence making it distinctly visible from miles away. Bennachie has a unique sense of feel, where history unfolds before your eyes once you realise that It was formed 10,000 years ago during the last ice age, human settlement here can be dated back to the bronze age, remains of a Pictish fort believed to be built around 600 AD still sits atop Tap, in 1800s people (called colonists) farmed this heathery landscape as the farmlands were scarce, during mid nineteenth century a quarry operated in the region whose workers shaped the granite just using mallet and chisel and the young forests here were planted in 1950s. Clues to all this and more can be found along the walking trails, taking you on a journey back in time.
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| Get Set Go... |
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| Once upon a time this was someone's home |
We chose the shortest but the most demanding route up to Tap, courtesy my partner. The walk began on a forest trail taking us close to the ruins of colonist settlement and after a while we were standing at the base of the hill straining our neck to map its height. It was a steep ascent, where gravity was certainly not an ally and there was a further resistance in the form of wind. I was struggling to keep up with my co-hiker, who seemed to carry on effortlessly. Whenever I paused to look back (actually down as there was no back due to the steep incline) or click a picture I thought I would topple down. Every step on that rocky path was an act of balance. After half an hours climb, we reached the old fort entrance, where most of our fellow hikers chose a stable rock to relax and enjoy the panoramic view of Aberdeenshire.
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| Hold on steady there is more to go |
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| The first look back.... |
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| Still a long way ahead |
I almost jumped in excitement on reaching there (thinking thats the highest point) and started looking for a place to sit, only to realise that my husband was nowhere close. when I tried searching for him, my eyes saw a familiar figure climbing further up. I couldn’t imagine one could climb on jumbled piles of rocks to reach the top and then I saw many others attempting the adventure. For me it was a horror show in broad daylight.
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| The fort entrance in view |
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| So.. that is the entrance to the formidable fortress that stood strong centuries ago |
My co-hiker looked back surprised that I was still glued to my safe viewing spot. So with short unwilling steps I followed him carefully, managing not to be the laughing stock by tripping over. It was a strenuous walk specially the small bit towards the end where I was trying hard to hold myself together against the gale force Wind.
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| Really!!! |
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| Someone please hold me |
With the final leap I reached the summit. At this point I should say that the magnificent view was worth the sweat and pain but unfortunately, I found it extremely difficult to keep my eyes open in the face of wind. Instead of taking tons of pictures, I diverted all my energy to keep myself standing and with my hair flying in every possible direction I could be compared to Medusa of modern times. The summit came in handy as I held on to it in a tight embrace. It was entertainment for my husband who couldn’t stop laughing looking at my state. That day I realised that some extra weight can be a boon sometimes.The raging wind was gaining power by the minute and the few enthusiast enjoying the view on the hill top started making their way down.I was more than happy to go down as my heart was pounding against my chest and my hands were almost numb. while getting down, I came across a furry dog sitting beside a lady and I could see the reflection of my fear in its eyes.
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| Looking down towards the Fort entrance |
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| On our way back |
It was more difficult to climb down the rocks and at places I sat down thinking I could go no further with the wind pushing me so hard. I had a vision that I would be left stranded. It took a lot of effort and encouragement (from you know who) to just get down that small stretch of rocky path till the fortress entrance. It was embarrassing that I was struggling with my stuttering feet when others were gliding past me. Reaching the ruins of the ancient fort felt like a winning a battle against an invincible foe and having done that every other walk feels like child’s play. After a short stop at the ruins to rest my shaky knees, we took an alternate descent route.
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| Another hill in view...Oxen Craig |
After a short walk in the heathland, we entered a forest patch that led us to the exit. After a days walk, picnic benches near the car park were a welcome site where we enjoyed home made meal under not so shady tree. By then sun was westward, preparing to set so we also decided to head home.
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| Looking back at the mighty Mither Tap |
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| All flat again.. |
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| How tempting is that... |
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| Maiden Stone |
On our way, next to a farm, we saw the famous Maiden stone with Pictish symbols and inscriptions. Time has faded the symbols but faint markings are still visible. It would be interesting to understand the meaning of the inscriptions and the significance of the obelisk, as apart from the ancient inscriptions, it looks just like any other rock structure.
After taking a few pictures, we hurried towards the bus stop and while waiting for the bus, I kept looking at Mither Tap picturing the rewarding views that have been enjoyed for generations. After the adventure we had a good share of laugh, recalling my reactions and expressions at the summit. Though my nerves were frail at some points, I enjoyed the experience and learnt a good few tricks. Still a lot is left at Bennachie to be explored by us and next time I would climb the Tap again to vanquish my fear.
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| What the fort might have looked 1400 yrs ago |
P.S - Couldn't avoid the glare in some photos. Investing in a hood seems a good idea.
