Robert Macfarlane's extraordinary third book (his debut novel, Mountains of the Mind, was praised on its release and won several high profile awards) is part travelogue, part history and part philosophical treatise. It weaves together an exploration of wild places in Britain and Ireland with the stories of those characters, past and present, that have helped shape and define wildness.

Distance: 23.53 km
Ascent: 701 m
Time: 6hrs 11mins (including stops)
Hills: Clachan Yell (626m), Black Craig (640m), Red Craig (599m)
Weather: Beautiful hazy winter day with high, light cloud and sunshine
Route: View on OS Maps

The car park at Milltimber, just short of Glen Tanar house, was empty until our cavalcade motored up. An early start from the centre of Aberdeen got us to Glen Tanar before 9am where we quickly booted up and were off in the fresh, bright morning air.

Distance: 29.27 km
Ascent: 846 m
Time: 7hrs 34mins (including stops)
Hills: Beinn a' Chaorainn (1082m) and Beinn Bhreac (931m)
Weather: Cloud sitting at around 950m most of the day. Very little wind. Later sun breaking through to give clear tops as afternoon ended.
Route: View on OS Maps

Before the sun had risen I was driving down the South Deeside Road under less than promising skies. Refueling in Banchory I was intially confused by the football supporters loading up on energy drinks and junk food until I remembered that Aberdeen were playing Celtic in the Cup. I was pleased to be heading away from all this, gradually encountering quieter roads and a temperature that dropped down to 0C as I passed Mar Lodge on the Linn of Dee road.

Distance: 21.39 km
Ascent: 746 m
Time: 6hrs 58mins (including stops)
Hills: Kerloch (534m)
Weather: Beautifully clear and crisp winter's day
Route: View on OS Maps

The civilised 8am start, as dawn broke over Aberdeen, coupled with a continuation of high pressure and a promising forecast brought out a healthy crowd of folk for the first coach walk of 2011. The large coach made the journey through the back roads south of Banchory quite exciting, but after only one wrong turn, plus the sight of Doug sprinting down a lane, we arrived at the drop-off point just to the west of Knockburn Loch.

Distance: 13.60 km
Ascent: 426 m
Time: 4hrs 05mins (including stops)
Hills: Meall Dubh (563m), The Coyles of Muick (601m)
Weather: Cloud, light snow showers, bitterly cold northerly wind
Route: View on OS Maps

The "Hogmany Hoolie" is the Stocket's annual post-New Year detox walk that this year saw a healthy turnout ready for a gentle jaunt around the Coyles of Muick above Ballater.

Tags: Slug: the-buck-of-cabrach Author: Nick Bramhall

Distance: 15.37km
Ascent: 669m
Time: 5hrs 21mins
Grahams: The Buck (720m)
Weather: Bitterly cold easterly wind and early high cloud. Some clearing but then snow showers on top
Route: View on OS Maps

It was dark and cold on the bus but nevertheless, just after 7am on a Sunday morning, there were 29 determined Stockets heading out for a short day in the hills of the Cabrach. Through the back roads we twisted and turned our way until we were deposited by the side of the Lumsden road under gloomy grey skies.

Three years ago on this day I jumped off the service bus into the cold, clear air of a bright November morning in Dinnet, a quiet village in the heart of Royal Deeside. From here I climbed Scotland’s most easterly Munro, Mount Keen. It was the perfect introductory walk: chattering streams, ancient Caledonian forest, isolated farms, wild glens, and mountains as far as the eye could see. I posted a blog post at the time with a few photos which can be read here. With the exception of a walk around Aberdeen’s coastal path, and one up Scolty Hill just south of Banchory, it genuinely was my first significant foray into the Scottish scenery and I enjoyed every minute. Whilst cooling off tired feet sitting at the bus stop in Dinnet as the sun set, I rang my Mum and told her that I had climbed my first Munro. I think she was shocked.

Distance: 12.09 km
Ascent: 1,149 m
Time: 5hrs 40mins
Munros: Sgurr a' Mhaoraich (1,036m)
Weather: Early high cloud clearing to blue skies. Very cold with snow above 700m
Route: View on OS Maps

The stag prancing about in the field besides the Invergarry Lodge Hostel seemed as delighted with the continuing good weather as we were. Under a sky that was patchy grey with bits of blue steadily appearing, we loaded up the cars and set off once again down the twisty-turny Kinlochhourn Road.

Distance: 14.32 km
Ascent: 925 m
Time: 6hrs 30mins
Munros: Sgurr a' Mhaoraich (1,027m)
Weather: Early high cloud clearing to blue skies. Very cold with snow above 700m
Route: View on OS Maps

The twists and turns of the Kinlochhourn road are probably enough to make most people wish they hadn't bothered with breakfast. I was driving and even I felt a little funny as we booted up under steely skies besides Loch Quoich.

Distance: 20.98 km
Ascent: 897 m
Time: 6hrs 24mins
Munros: Carn Aosda (917m), The Cairnwell (933m), Carn a' Gheoidh (975m)
Weather: Early cloud and hill fog improving to sunny spells later in the day. Very light but cold northerly wind.
Route: View on OS Maps

The fact that I stumbled off a doorstep onto a cold, dark Aberdeen street at 6:30am on Saturday morning would perhaps give you the wrong impression of my Friday night. In fact, I had spent a perfectly civilised evening playing board games and eating sushi. The early start was eased by the fact that I only had to walk the ten minutes along to the meeting point for October's Stocket Hillwalking Club Saturday walk.