Colour code of walk: Orange

Name of walk: Mortlich Hill

Grade symbol: Strenuous

Length of walk: 6.3 miles / 10.1 km

Time to allow: 4 hours

default Walk Mortlich Hill gpx(125 KB)

What to see:

A ‘there and back’ ascent of around 300 m to reach a historic cairn, with some great views of Morven mountain and Dee Valley, with the hills beyond.

Terrain description:

Starts and ends on a firm path. Some long steep ascents and descents, with sections of narrow, rough path, with occasional muddy areas.

Path description

Start by crossing the main road and entering the Castle Woods beside the Victory Hall.  At the first junction keep left and then cross the road and continue past the side of the cemetery.  Keeping to the main paths, go ahead and at the next fork, turn left at the bottom of the slope.  As you approach the wall beside the Tarland Road go right until out of the wood.  Cross the road and take the path on your right, which is the Tarland Way.  Follow this, parallel to the road, up the hill. At a Y-junction 600 m from the castle entrance, bear right at a direction sign to descend and then cross the road, before continuing down to a footbridge over the Tarland Burn.  After another 700 m turn right to ascend a wide track, looking behind for wonderful views of Morven hill. Continue uphill on the main track (ignoring side tracks to the left and right) for 1 km, where it swings sharply left. Here pick up an APTG way-marked narrow path to the right. After 200 m pass through an open gate and after 10 m reach a junction, taking the path left up the hill. This climbs increasingly steeply, with a fabulous vista of the Dee Valley opening up behind you. Pass through a fence gate after 300 m and continue steeply uphill through Scots pine, reaching a small cairn after another 600 m. The large summit cairn is a short distance away, visible to the left (up a bank and across a tumbledown fence). A large, inscribed stone and fallen down metal Celtic cross confirms it as a memorial tower to the 10th Marquis of Huntly, which collapsed in 1912. Savour the magnificent views before returning to Aboyne by the same route, taking care on the initial steep descent through the trees, but enjoying the open views lower down.