Ben Rinnes

Ben Rinnes is a mountain in Moray, northern Scotland, popular with hikers. It covers 20 square kilometres and stands 8 kilometres southwest of Dufftown. A single main path leads to the summit, easily reached from a nearby car park. The Friends of Ben Rinnes group has improved the paths to protect the fragile slopes from erosion. Their work has made the mountain more accessible while preserving its steep terrain. The mountain offers wide views from the top. On clear days, eight counties appear in sight, including Aberdeenshire, Moray and Inverness-shire. Waterfalls cascade down the slopes from rivers like the Linn of Ruthrie. The summit also hosts a challenging hill race during the Dufftown Highland Games. Runners cover 22 kilometres with over 1,500 metres of ascent to reach the top. Visitors find a well-marked route to the summit, starting near the car park. The path winds past the waterfalls and steep sections maintained by volunteers. The hill race route passes over nearby hills before climbing to the peak. Records set in 2018 show times of one hour fifty-three minutes for men and two hours eighteen minutes for women. The summit rewards walkers with sweeping views across northern Scotland.