View from Ben Rinnes

A fantastic mountain for hillwalkers of all abilities, hiking up Ben Rinnes gives you a lot of bang for your buck thanks to its extensive views and prominent nature. Rising to 2,759 feet (841 m), you’ll find wide, clear trails with beautiful views before you’ve even stopped for your first snack bar. 

Wonderfully accessible from surrounding regions and lacking any technical challenge, Ben Rinnes is understandably a popular hike. So much so that a conservation group has been formed to help maintain the main path and prevent erosion. As a result, it’s important not to take shortcuts. 

A rewarding hike with far-reaching views

Reaching the summit trig point on a magnificent granite outcrop, a clear day will reward your effort a thousand times over. The extraordinary 360 degree views allow you to see eight counties as well as vast swathes of the Moray coastline. Gazing across to the lower peaks and undulating hills, with their flowing valleys, is nothing short of breathtaking.

Should the wind be pulling at your jacket, the rocky summit also offers some shelter so you can enjoy a rest and a sandwich without taking a buffeting. As with the majority of Scottish mountains, weather conditions are highly changeable throughout the year and what you set off it may not be what the summit is experiencing. 

Being mindful of weather and leaving particularly snowy or icy conditions to winter mountaineers, hiking Ben Rinnes is a wonderfully achievable Marilyn for families. Accommodation and food is easy to find in the nearby settlements, including Charlestown of Aberlour and Dufftown. There are also several distilleries in the area, should you need something to warm the cockles after a day on the mountain.