Date: Wednesday 20th April 2016
Company: Myself and Cuillin
Distance: 7.6km, Ascent: 525m
Time: 3Hrs (including 45mins spent at summit)
On looking out the window yesterday evening, it looked lovely outside. I quickly grabbed my camera, water bottle, headtorch, small pack, bundled the dog into the car and set off with a view to ascending a nearby Sub2000ft Marilyn to watch the sun set from the summit. However, as I was approaching Huntly, I decided to venture a little higher and head up Ben Rinnes instead.
I would be ascending Ben Rinnes via the standard route from the Ben Rinnes car park on the Edinville road; my fifth ascent of Ben Rinnes and Cuillin's second.
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
We started walking around 19:00; the temperature was 14C. By the time we returned to the car at 22:00, the temperature had dropped to only 5C.
Not much to say about the ascent, just a case of following the track from the car park to the summit.
View towards the Cairngorms during ascent:
Much of the ascent involved walking directly into the sun which was not ideal for pics, or being able to see where I was going. There is therefore lots more pics here from my previous ascent.
During the ascent, we were passed by a couple of young lasses running up the hill. As we did not see them again, it is likely they traversed Ben Rinnes descending towards Aberlour.
Final ascent from Roy's Hill to the summit of Ben Rinnes:
The Convals:
Looking across to Corriehabbie Hill:
It was good to escape the bright, low sunshine on entering into the shapely shadow being cast by Ben Rinnes.
In the shadow of Ben Rinnes:
During the ascent of the final section of Ben Rinnes, I saw a number of runners coming down the hill. I wondered if I would know any of them as this hill is very close to Elgin and many of my MorayMC friends. I recognised Steven amongst the runners and stopped for a brief, pleasant chat.
Approaching the summit tors:
On arriving at the summit, we still had over 30 minutes to wait until sunset. It was however nice to just sit there, take pics and admire the views, albeit it was a bit chilly up there just hanging around.
Looking down to the Convals from the trig point:
If ascending Ben Rinnes, and wanting to bag the top, it is important to note that the summit is the rocky tor 10m from the trig point and not the trig point.
View from the summit rocks of Ben Rinnes:
Waiting for the sun to set:
The summit tor:
As Cuillin has recently had a haircut, he was feeling the cold up there. I therefore took off my down gillet and wrapped him in it to keep him warm. I was already wearing a fleece and didn't need both.
Cuillin keeping warm in my down gillet:
Approaching sunset:
Approaching sunset:
After sitting up there for around 30 minutes, Cuillin was getting fairly impatient to get moving. I would have been happy to stay up there until it was completely dark.
Cuillin:
Looking towards the Moray Firth:
We sat watching the sun set and then stayed there for circa ten minutes more before starting to make our way back down the hill.
Sunset:
Sunset:
Sunset:
Ben Rinnes trig post sunset:
Cairngorms after sunset:
Cairngorms after sunset:
It was light enough to see during much of the walk down as there was an almost full moon. When the moon disappeared behind clouds, I used the headtorch for the final ten minutes back to the car.
Walking down in the dark:
Two of my favourite things are sitting atop a hill watching the sun set and sitting atop a hill watching the sun rise. I definitely need to do this more often
.