| Bennachie | |
|---|---|
 Mither Tap from the south | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Oxen Craig |
| Elevation | 1,732 ft (528 m) |
| Prominence | 1,037 ft (316 m) |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Coordinates | 57°17′34″N 2°33′45″W / 57.29275°N 2.56244°W |
| Naming | |
| English translation | Hill of the breast |
| Language of name | Gaelic |
| Pronunciation | English: /bɛnæˈhiː/ |
| Geography | |
  Bennachie | |
| OS grid | NJ662226 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 38 |
Bennachie (/bɛnəˈxiː/ ben-ə-HEE; Scottish Gaelic: Beinn na Cìche)[1] is a range of hills in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.[2] It has several tops, the highest of which, Oxen Craig, has a height of 528 metres (1,732 ft). Though not particularly high, compared to other peaks within Scotland, the mountain is very prominent, owing to its isolation and the relative flatness of the surrounding terrain, and dominates the skyline from several viewpoints.
The peak that stands out the most visually is Mither Tap (518 m, 1699 feet) and from its top there are good views of the county to the north and east. Most of the tops lie along an east / west ridge, with the exception of Millstone Hill (409 m) an outlier or spur which is separated from and to the south of the main ridge. Mither Tap has an Iron Age fort on its summit. Unlike with many other hilltop forts in the area, there are no signs of vitrification in the stone.[2] Bennachie is visible from a number of distant points; to the north it is visible from Longman Hill, a point considerably to the north.[3]
- ^ G.M. Miller, BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names (Oxford UP, 1971), p. 13.
- ^ a b Whiteley, A.W.M. (Ed.) (1976). The Book of Bennachie. The Bailies of Bennachie. ISBN 0-900323-21-3. Mostly anecdotes and verse about the mountain and its surroundings.
- ^ Michael Hogan, C. "Longman Hill", Longman Hill, 2008, Modern Antiquarian