A walk · Aberdeenshire

Pitfichie Forest – Round Cairn William

About 11.5 miles on foot.

Cairn William is the granite hill in Pitfichie Forest between Monymusk and Alford, and Forestry and Land Scotland's Cairn William Trail goes right round its foot.

It's a long, steep circuit on wide forest tracks, with big views of Bennachie and the Vale of Alford and a stone circle on the way. Fit walkers get a full day out of it, and anyone else can stroll a quarter of an hour to the stone circle for the view.

Time: About seven and a half hours: Forestry and Land Scotland's Cairn William Trail, 18.6 km round the foot of the hill. A long day. The Whitehills stone circle alone is about a quarter of an hour from the car park.
The path: Waymarked; long, steep slopes on mostly wide, firm gravel, with grassy sections, exposed tree roots and muddy stretches.
Where to start: Forestry and Land Scotland's free car park in Pitfichie Forest, on the north side of the B993 between Monymusk and Tillyfourie, at the turn-off signed for Pitfichie Forest cycle trails (nearest postcode AB51 7SS).
When to go: The full circuit needs seven and a half hours of daylight: in November and February start at first light, and in December and January walk to the Whitehills stone circle and back instead.
Dogs: Welcome under close control: on a short lead or close at heel near livestock and from April to August, when birds nest on the ground, and never into a field with young animals, as the Scottish Outdoor Access Code asks.
Children: The full trail is a long, steep day; the quarter-hour walk to the stone circle suits children.
Toilets: None here: the nearest public toilets are in Alford.
Before you set out: Mountain bikers and horse riders share the trail: keep an ear out.

The walk

The walk starts at Forestry and Land Scotland's free car park in Pitfichie Forest, on the north side of the B993 between Monymusk and Tillyfourie. Look for the turn-off signed for Pitfichie Forest cycle trails; the nearest postcode is AB51 7SS, and the hamlet of Pitfichie is three and a half miles away, so don't follow its name. There are no toilets here: the nearest public ones are in Alford.

The Cairn William Trail is a long circuit right round the foot of the hill, 18.6 km, and Forestry and Land Scotland says to allow seven and a half hours. It passes the Whitehills stone circle and gives big views of Bennachie and the Vale of Alford. The going is mostly wide, firm gravel, with grassy and muddy stretches, exposed roots and long, steep slopes, so it's a long day.

Mountain bikers and horse riders use the trail too, so keep an ear out. For a short outing, walk to the Whitehills stone circle instead, about a quarter of an hour from the car park, for a grand view. In the forest look out for crossbills, goldcrests and long-tailed tits, and in summer ospreys fly over from their nests by the River Don.

If it rains

Forest tracks with no shelter but the trees, steep and muddy in places when wet: on a wet day walk to the stone circle and back, a quarter of an hour each way.