In the middle of a windfarm sits.....Cooks Cairn

Cooks Cairn (Named after a Lord that shot his 1^st deer but was that not nearby Corryhabbie hill?)

Type: Fiona

Height: 755m

I originally earmarked this for a bike hike but had to change it to hike only. With the benefit of hindsight the track was not as I had envisaged and it would have involved a fair bit of pushing uphill, not recommended with a heave e-bike.

Blue sky start of the drive became thick fog en route but thankfully changed back to blue skies near the start. A red squirrel ran across the track from the trees at the farm, near miss, a good omen. This hill was my last conquest of the Ladder Hills and one of the most remote Eastern Fionas. Cooks Cairn was once designated a Corbett but after remeasurement now sits 6m below the lowest Corbett height.

Another hill where it is worth studying the maps and previous walk reports as there are multiple start options as well as adding on other hills. I opted for the most direct but longest route, distance not a problem as I was going to be biking haha.

It suited me to start from the east at Aldivalloch where there is a decent small car park and a good information board of the area. I was following part of the Steplar Road Trail, a drovers road, which goes on to Glenlivet. Hard to imagine that pre WW1 there were over 1000 inhabitants in this locality of Cabrach, now less than 50, so sad.

I walked up through the short cropped grassy field to be accosted by a pair of Peewit (1^st of the year), a pair of Curlew and a pair Oystercatchers. All very loud this must be a nesting field.

Cooks Cairn is the highest right of centre

Out of the field and a good rising track through the moor took me to an old fence. The only upsetting bit was that all the height gained was about to be lost big time as I descended Dead Wife's Hillock. I was thinking it might be the Dead Husbands Hillock on my return.

Changing from winter to summer coat

As I cleaned my sweat dripped glasses I spotted a shape on the track. Glasses back on and it was a Mountain Hare. It stood still while I got out my camera, yipee. I wondered if it was ill as it let me come so close but as soon as it heard the click of the camera it ran away like Usian Bolt. I did spot another one near the top of Cooks.

Now the only mistake of the day. I knew I had to ford a river, the Black Water, but I had seen some snaps of walkers crossing via stones. So, as I was hard track walking I had opted for my light fabric boots and also left the gaiters in the car. Yip you guessed. It was wider than expected and it was running deeper. I would not have wanted to try to push the heavy bike over that, as it was my ankles were well under the water so wet feet. There is a bridge but 2km downstream so not an easy option.

After this there is a large wind farm which on the map is called . The trail actually runs parallel to the wind farm roads not on them. Another reason the bike would have been less useful. The track was remarkably sandy a sign of where this land originated.

Big hump behind is Corryhabbie Hill

Cooks Cairn summit behind snow patch which became my descent route

A few crossings of the windfarm roads and then a separate track is reached which contours for a bit, well actually longer than I thought, before another track junction with a sign for Cooks Cairn. It was actually easier to walk on the heather so again would not have worked for the bike.

The track also headed back at an angle that meant the summit was behind me. It looked a short distance from down below but took me just over 20 minutes to reach the broad plateau. As I wandered onwards towards an outcrop I spotted the cairn over to my left, nearly walked right past it.

Ben Rinnes

Cairngorms in distance

Some decent views if a bit hazy. Ben Rinnes to the north most prominent. The snow covered Cairngorm big hills did not show as well in the snaps. The nearby Corbett of Corryhabbie Hill is close enough to make it a double bag.

The sky was blue but the wind was fierce and cold so no hanging around. I opted to cut corners and head back via Carn Daimh through the rough stuff. By and large the descent was okay mainly heather but nearer the bottom it became more boggy and a meandering, mostly hidden burn, made things more cautious than quick.

Back on the track and returned the same way with an excellent view of the dreaded Dead Wife’s Hillock. Almost back at the ford I spotted an estate vehicle very slowly moving up the Hillock, the only other person seen on the ramble.

Of course even wetter feet this time but surprisingly, despite my fears, I ascended the Hillock without my usual huffing and puffing. Must be getting fitter, quite pleased with myself.

I met the driver of the vehicle, an estate worker filling up the grouse trays. There were plenty of gun butts around.

The Buck of Cabrach on right

Ideal for a wee renovation project

Overall a good ramble at a better than expected pace. Sound views and a blue sky, a good day out.

Ascent: 698m

Distance: 14.53km

Time: 3.41

Wildlife: Red Squirrel; Peewit; Oystercatcher; Curlew; Meadow Pipit; Skylark; Peacock butterfly;