Ben Rinnes

A new Corbett for Caley and myself, I have driven past this hill dozens of times over the years and it its notable summit with granite torrs looks so enticing,
We approached by what is the most used access route. This is clearly a very popular hill and a wide well engineered path conducts walkers effortlessly to that distinctive summit. I haven't checked my stats but I think we were at the top in just over an hour.
The views from here are outstanding; towards the Moray coast, east to Aberdeenshire and west back towards the Cairngorm massif. Unfortunately I have to take the guidebook author's word for it because the mist was well down the shoulders of the hill.
On the way down I met a few other walkers on their way up which made me feel a bit overdressed with my hill boots, rucksack, extra clothes, even a survival bag and bandage, First man was in jeans and trainers then a woman with her son. She had a bottle of water in her hand and had very white trainers.
At the back of my mind, if ever the subject of a rescue i would hate to be ridiculed for being poorly equipped. Then, if you are carrying that heavy a rucksack you could argue that you increase the possibility of something going wrong.
Late PM I had arranged to meet a man from the survey company, (travelling south from Caithness) to take one of my theodolites to his Edinburgh workshop for calibration. Boat of Garten was not far off his A9 beaten track and it is always nice to get a chat with DCM.