After our two weeks’ quarantine, we were excited to get out and explore the Scottish countryside (in a socially distanced sort of way). Our first adventure, on August 14, was climbing Mither Tap (part of Bennachie – a range of hills in Aberdeenshire). Mither Tap stands at 1699 feet and offers gorgeous views of the surrounding area (www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshire/mither-tap.shtml ) . Near the top, we passed through the remains of an undated fort that may have been build n the dark ages.
The hike up to Mither Tap from the Bennachie Visitor’s Center took a little over an hour and started easily enough. We passed a lovely stone wall that ran alongside what started out as a wide packed-earth path. Gorse (sadly, not in bloom this time of year), heather and a wide variety of other plants lined our slight ascent. Gradually the path narrowed and became a bit steeper, taking us through beautiful, tall trees. The final stretch was far steeper and rocky, but offered an absolutely beautiful view of purple heather.
