How difficult is Hill of Fare?

Hill of Fare carries a 1/5 (easy) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: A mix of forestry road, ATV track and open heather.

What is Hill of Fare's prominence?

217m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Hill of Fare to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.

When is the best time to climb Hill of Fare?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Hill of Fare. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.

Is Hill of Fare dog-friendly?

Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.

By Gary

Photo: Steven Brown / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Cairngorms

Hill of Fare

The Hill of Fare is a substantial heather-clad plateau north of Banchory, the highest point on the dividing wall between Deeside and the Don. At 471m it commands a remarkable panorama from Aberdeen out to the Cairngorms, with the site of the Battle of Corrichie on its southern flank.

Quick facts

Height: 471m/ 1545ft
Prominence: 217 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NJ 67182 02922
Nearest city: Aberdeen· 27km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).

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Standard route

forestry tracks 25% · heather moorland 55% · rocky summit 20%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

The most popular route climbs from the Burn o' Bennie car park near Raemoir Hotel, following forestry tracks then open hillside up to Greymore and the main summit ridge. About 8-10km round trip with 350m of ascent, taking 3-4 hours.

Terrain

A mix of forestry road, ATV track and open heather. The plateau is broad and gently undulating with several rocky tors. Path quality declines on the summit dome itself.

In winter

Exposed plateau collects wind-driven snow that can be surprisingly deep in drifts. Genuinely worthwhile in a hard winter — the views of the snowy Cairngorms across Deeside are superb.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Hill of Fare. SAIS forecasts six areas only — Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber, Glencoe and Torridon — and this hill is outside all of them, so there is no avalanche forecast to read for it. In winter, use MWIS Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath ↗ for mountain weather, judge snow stability from first principles, and treat any cornice or wind-loaded slope with extra caution.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow5h 29m
Edinburgh3h 27m

OS maps: OS Landranger 38, OS Explorer 406W

Mobile signal: Strong summit reception; EE and Vodafone reliable. Fine viewpoint visible from Aberdeen.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 14mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:38
Sunset: 19:34
Civil dawn: 05:59
Civil dusk: 20:13

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026

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Around Hill of Fare on the SCOT network

Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Stonehaven station

Dunnottar Castle; Aberdeenshire coast; Mearns walking country

26km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Stonehaven

East coast town near Aberdeen — Dunnottar Castle, Glen Esk access

26km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

Hill of Fare — common questions

How difficult is Hill of Fare?: Hill of Fare carries a 1/5 (easy) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: A mix of forestry road, ATV track and open heather.
What is Hill of Fare's prominence?: 217m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Hill of Fare to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.
When is the best time to climb Hill of Fare?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Hill of Fare. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
Is Hill of Fare dog-friendly?: Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
Is there mobile signal on Hill of Fare?: Strong summit reception; EE and Vodafone reliable. Fine viewpoint visible from Aberdeen.
Is Hill of Fare safe in winter?: Exposed plateau collects wind-driven snow that can be surprisingly deep in drifts. Genuinely worthwhile in a hard winter — the views of the snowy Cairngorms across Deeside are superb.

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