7 Peaks

Tap o Noth 1 The Deer Runner 0.

DNF. My attempt to conjure up a personal ultra route did not pay off this weekend. A combination of bad weather, no defined route and lack of fitness meant an early retirement.

 Coach dropped me off 0900 Saturday morning at this obscure forest track west of Cairn William.

 It was uphill right from the start.

Once on the hill I took a picture of the forest track where I had been.

Bennachie range in the distance.

 Tap o Noth viewed from Cairn William.

 The river Don exiting The Lords Throat.

 First peak, Cairn William with the Bennachie Range in the distance.

 Pitfichie Castle.

 Crossing the river Don.

 The Flat Stones, a popular place to picnic and swim in the river Don.

 The Donview Centre where I hoped to refill water bottles before heading to the Bennachie Range. Unfortunately the place was closed, including the toilets.

 Steep steps on the way to Mill Stone Hill.

 City of Aberdeen in the distance.

 Second peak Millstone Hill with Mither Tap in the distance.

 This picture summed up the weather, hot sunshine and heavy showers.

Third peak Mither Tap with Craigshannoch on the right and Oxen Craig on the left.

Fourth peak Craigshannoch, next - Oxen Craig.

 Fifth peak Oxen Craig, the bad weather obscuring my destination.

 The Gordon Way seems unused and neglected, difficult to run through overgrown grass trails.

 Sixth peak Suie Hill with destination Tap o Noth in the background.

 Tap o Noth viewed from Suie Road, taunted me in the late afternoon sunshine.

I crossed Suie Road and entered the forest road pictured above. It looked like a super highway going in the general direction of Tap o Noth. Unfortunately after two miles it was a dead end with nowhere to go. I had to turn back to Suie Car Park. The weather closed in and with no defined route to Tap o Noth I had no choice but call Coach for a lift. Ironically the watch showed just under 26 miles back at Suie Car Park so i ran a few circuits to reach 26.2.

This is unfinished business, I'm determined to find a route from Suie Car Park to Tap o Noth in the future.

Wed 6 miles  Thurs 8 miles  Sat 26.2 miles  Sun 2 miles  Weekly total 42 miles.