Pannanich

Walkable from Ballater village centre, steep, muddy in places but great views. 

Starting point: South side of the Bridge of Ballater, 300 metres from Ballater village centre 

Distance:  short (1.7 miles / 2.7km)

Climb: very steep in places, 197metres

Difficulty: hard
Underfoot: Landrover track, footpath, muddy in places, uneven in places
Estimated time to complete: 1.5 hours
Scenic value: 9/10
Overall rating: 7/10 

View Pannanich (Craig Coillich) in a larger map

Comments:  The antenna on top of what is widely known as "Pannanich Hill" is visible from almost anywhere in Ballater so it's natural to wonder what the view is like from up there. Well, it's great, and although it may not be apparent from the village there is a spot where you can see down the valley without the view being obstructed by trees. There is a wide Landrover track all the way up, the only difficulties may be that it is rough underfoot and parts of it are very steep. I've included a couple of detours to visit. 

There's one thing I had better tell you though before you set out - the summit with the antennae on top is not actually Pannanich, but "Craig Coillich", a peak of 397m. Pannanich extends all the way to the bare peaks behind it which reach a peak of 601m, also called the Coire of Corn Arn - but that's another walk. 

On this map take the branch marked by the green traffic-light first. At the end of the walk you'll come back by the path with the red traffic light. The route I've included takes you down Pannanich by a different route but if you can prefer you can just retrace your steps which is slightly quicker and shorter. 

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Route

Craig Coillich is the wooded peak just to the south of Ballater with a distinctive antennae at the top. It is often called Pannanich although it is only part of Pannanich Hill. 

Craig Coillich across the Bridge of Ballater

This walk starts directly across the road from the south-side of the Bridge of Ballater. A path forks left and right up the hill opposite (pictured). You could take either fork but the one on the left is a bit rocky underfoot so take the left fork. 

Take the left path at the fork opposite the bridge.

The path, a Landrover track, continues up the hill for about 100 metres. A narrower path joins it from the right. This path leads to the right and almost directly across the slope of the hill. Take this path to the right, which I've marked with a green traffic-light on the map.

After 50 metres take the path to the left. 

This new path runs on a fairly level route across Pannanich Hill. After a short time you will see a path join from the right, which is the path you would have taken if you had taken the right fork at the road. 

This new path runs on a level across the hill. 

The monument to Sir Allan Russell MacKenzie

This is the first point of interest on the walk and I've marked it with a light blue marker on the map. The text is not easy to make out now but I think it reads "To the Memory of Sir Allan Russell MacKenzie, 2nd Baronnet of Glen Muick born March 29th 1850 died August 19th 1906 erected by his many friends. Come and rest." 

The monument to Sir Allan Russell MacKenzie

The path continues uphill to the left of the monument. 

Follow the path to the left of the monument.

The path continues along the side of two small ponds. 

Go past the ponds. 

The path reaches a cross-roads, go directly across it and follow what is now a Landrover path straight up the hill. Be warned, it will start to get very steep. 

Go across the cross-roads. 

The Landrover path continues steeply up the hill. After about 600 metres it divides. Follow the main path round to the left. Ignore the less well maintained path leading straight ahead. 

Follow the Landrover track round to the left. 

The Landrover path continues uphill and now also back across the face of Pannanich Hill. It swings slightly to the right and flattens out. You are now in a sort of shallow valley between two peaks. To the left is Craig Coillich, where the antennae is situated. To the right the hillside continues up another 200 metres to the summit of Pannanich. Careful, the path can now be muddy underfoot. 

The path flattens out but can be muddy. 

After about another 200 metres there is a junction to the left which leads up to the summit of Craig Coillich. Take this junction to the left. 

Take the junction to the left leading to the mobile phone antennae.

Congratulations, you've now made it to the top of Craig Coillich, at a height of 397 metres. There is a mobile phone mast here. It's well sealed off but still it's wise to keep an eye on adventurous children. 

In front of the mobile phone mast is a small cairn. There is a gap in the trees which gives you a great view over Ballater with Craigendarroch beyond it and up and down the valley on either side. 

The view from the peak of Craig Coillich.

Now you have two options: to retrace your steps all the way back to the start of the walk, or to take a different route down. The map I've drawn up suggests taking a different route down and this is the way I'd recommend for the sake of variety but I should warn you that this way down is a bit more slippy. 

If you are going to take the different route down, retrace your steps a short distance to the T - junction in the forest track. Now, instead of turning right back the way you came, take the foot path on the left. 

At the junction take the foot path to the left.

The foot path will take you on a gentle downhill route but which gradually begins to lead more and more directly down the hill. There is a junction with a path off to the the left but ignore this and keep bearing right, down the hill. 

Ignore the path to the right, keep bearing down the hill. 

Eventually the path emerges onto a wide Landrover track, if you turn right it will take you down to the south Deeside Road, where a foot path alongside the road will take you back to Ballater, but I suggest the more interesting route is to turn left onto the Landrover track, where, almost immediately, you will come upon the Newfoundlander lumber camp at Dalmochie. 

The old Newfoundlander lumber-camp at Dalmochie

This is the second point of interest on this walk. The picnic table and marker posts mark the site where there was an old lumber-cap. In World War II Britain badly needed more timber, but there was a shortage of able-bodied, skilled men to produce it. The British government sent out a plea for aid and Newfoundland, a province of Canada, responded by forming The Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit. Newfoundland lumberjacks who volunteered for the unit were sent to locations in the UK including here, at Dalmochie near Ballater, to fell trees and produce the timber the country needed. The camp was built in 1940. For more information read the texts on the marker posts around the picnic table. 

Once you have had a look at the lumber-camp you can continue along the Landrover track you have been on. If you set off with the lumber camp on your left hand side you will be walking west on the Landrover track, which leads directly back towards Ballater. 

The Landrover track passes an open area on the left, then there is a junction in the path. Bear right, heading downhill and it will take you back to the south Deeside Road at the end of the bridge over the Dee where you began the walk.  Congratulations, you have completed the walk up Pannanich!