Ben Rinnes – Speyside’s Own Mountain
About 5 miles on foot.
Ben Rinnes is Speyside's own mountain, a lone, rounded hill crowned with weathered granite tors, and a good path takes you all the way to the top.
It's a full hill day, steady rather than hard, with the whole of the Spey's distillery country laid out below you, and a late lunch in Aberlour after it. It suits fit walkers who are happy on a high, exposed top.
- Time
- About three hours up and back, about two of them on the way up.
- The path
- An estate track, then a built hill path with stone steps; slopes throughout; unsuitable for wheelchairs and buggies.
- Where to start
- A small car park in the col between Ben Rinnes and the Convals, on the minor road off the B9009 in Glen Rinnes.
- Set off
- The track to the summit leaves the car park.
- When to go
- Open hill at all hours in daylight and clear weather; from November to February start up by 11am. The Aberlour Hotel serves meals every day.
- Children
- A three-hour mountain walk with 548 metres of climb to a high, exposed top: for older children used to hills.
- Before you set out
- From November to February start up by 11am. In winter or in mist the path can be hard to follow; the top is high and exposed.
The walk
The usual way up starts at a small car park in the col between Ben Rinnes and the Convals, on the minor road that leaves the B9009 in Glen Rinnes. Ben Rinnes stands on its own over Speyside, the highest free-standing hill in Moray at 841 metres. From the car park an estate track, then a built path with stone steps, climb steadily all the way to the summit rocks.
It's 8 km there and back with 548 metres of climb, and Moray Council's walking routes allow about three hours, two of them for the way up. The top is high and exposed, with mountain weather even when it's fine below, so bring warm and waterproof layers, food, stout boots and a map, and turn back if the cloud comes down. In winter or in mist the path can be hard to follow: leave it for a clear day, and from November to February start up by 11am.
On a clear day the view runs out over the whole of the Spey's distillery country.
If it rains
Ben Rinnes is no place in rain, wind or cloud: the top is high and exposed and the view is gone. On a wet day walk the short Linn Falls path from the Square in Aberlour instead, then have lunch at the hotel.
Afterwards
22 min by car
Aberlour Hotel
Lunch
Lunch is 22 minutes' drive away, through Dufftown and Craigellachie, at the Aberlour Hotel on the Square, halfway along the High Street. It's a family-run hotel that calls itself family and dog friendly, serving meals every day from noon to 7.30pm, from a sandwich to venison casserole, with cask ales and drams from the distilleries round about. Park free on the Square. If it's full, the Mash Tun on Broomfield Square, a riverside inn with a well-known whisky bar, opens from 11am, noon on Sundays: book a table on 01340 881771.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
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For further reading, before you go.
Photographs by Luis Noguez and Sven Eggebrecht via Google