Ben Avon and Beinn a' Bhùird from Tomintoul

Car park at end of public road

Tomintoul is one of the highest villages in the UK and is on the A939 halfway between Ballater and Grantown-on-Spey. In the village, on the main street and near its southern end, a Right-of-way sign points to Dalestie. Drive up this road, then rough track to a car-park with information board. Ahead a delightful cycle awaits.

Looking down The River Avon towards Linn of Avon

On bike, cycle south on the rough track. The track meets up with the tarred road coming from Delavorar Farm, then continues down to the estate houses at Brichfield , where there are locked gates - there is a walkers gate to the side of the main gate. The track then passing a junction with a track heading west over the River Avon and by a lovely old suspension bridge.

Bridge over the Builg Burn with lower slopes of Ben Avon ahead

Bridge over the Builg Burn with lower slopes of Ben Avon ahead

Ptarmigan and the Clach Choutsaich tor

Leave your bike and now on foot, follow the obvious path twisting as it climbs uphill. The distinct path gradually becomes fainter with height - if difficult to find (eg with snow cover), look for a cairn on the skyline ahead and aim for this.

Beyond this cairn the path becomes more obvious again and climbs gently uphill to the wierd rocks of East Muir Gorm Craig .

The path picks a way through the heather on the eastern side of West Muir Gorm Craig then disappears on the approach to Mullach Lochan nan Gobhar. A tor to the left ahead can be seen from here, but it is not the summit, it's Clach Choutsaich. Ben Avon's summit is further on in a more south-westerly direction.

After gaining a bit more height, Ben Avon's summit tor, Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe comes into view. Upon reaching it, an easy scramble is all that's required to touch the top !

The bealach between Ben Avon and Beinn a'Bhuird

From the Ben Avon's summit, head south-west and drop on a worn path to the bealach between Ben Avon and Beinn a' Bhùird.

Follow the path heading west up some scree, zig-zagging on the way. The ground levels, becomes grass covered and then it's not too obvious as to what direction to aim, though in mist this can be navigationally testing !

Keep to the left (south) of Cnap a Chleirich , the minor top ahead and stick in a generally westward direction.

Beinn a' Bhùird's North Top comes into view, cross a small burn and continue over pathless grassy ground to the tiny cairn on the broad and vast summit. Due to the large flat area here, you'll have to walk a few yards from the cairn to get the best views !

The gorge near Faindouran Lodge

Leaving Beinn a' Bhùird's cairn and on fairly flat ground with no trace of path, aim just west of north. Height is gradually lost and the weird rocks of Cnap Leum an Easaich come into view . Keeping to the right of these, descend a bit more and a faint path can shortly thereafter be picked up aiming north-eastwards. This heads down to a shoogly bridge over a narrow gorge in the River Avon.

Cross the bridge and strike uphill to pick up an estate track making a way above the north bank of the river. Head eastwards on the track.

Around 6km further on from joining the track you'll be posed a choice - to climb uphill on the fine track or stay low on grass and a bit of bog - I chose the latter ! The track is re-joined and shortly thereafter the track re-crosses the river onto its south side and, after going through a gate in a deer-fence, you'll meetup with your bike for the cycle back up Glen Avon.

Biking up the track towards Càrn an t-Sleibhe

Cnap Chaochan Aitinn, a little Fiona, is the highest point on the vast moorland to the west of the River Avon. A track travels close to its summit, making for a fine alternative for the cycle into Glen Avon.

From the junction just south of the buildings at Birchfield, cross the River Avon using the bridge and follow a fine track as it crosses through a field (most likely having sheep) and climbs up the hillside ahead. The track levels out as it approaches Wester Gaulrig, then turns around the back of the house.

The track, which by this point is more or less a set of tyre tracks cutting through grass, leads to a large gate in a deer fence. From here, the twin summits of Cnap Eas Chaorach and Cnap Chaochan Aitinn can be seen ahead in the distance.

Through the gate, the track follows the edge of a birch woodland, then turns and drops down to cross a small burn via a ford . After a brief steep climb, the track levels out, and the heather-clad slopes of Càrn an t-Sleibhe come into view ahead. The track climbs up this minor rise, with Cnap Chaochan Aitinn reappearing in the distance.

At the next junction, keep right and cycle to the highest point on the track, where there is a junction, just to the west of the hill's summit. A rough track leads eastwards and climbs the remaining short distance towards the top , where a small mast stands beside a cairn topped with a large quartzite boulder.

Looking north-west to Geal Chàrn from Cnap Chaochan Aitinn

Looking north-west to Geal Chàrn from Cnap Chaochan Aitinn