Bag it, Bin it!
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The Bin of Cullen is a noticeably singular peak on the Moray coastline and looks down, from the east, onto the broad sweep of Spey Bay. This short, sharp hill gives fabulous views in all directions.
Standing on the summit on one particularly clear day I asked a companion why we had never been up the hill that appeared to be directly behind Lossiemouth. The reason: it was Ben Wyvis, 100 kilometres away, looking close enough to touch in the crystal clear air that day.
“The Bin” is great to go up if you have a mix of abilities and want to run and/or walk. Although there is a good pull to the top it is easy going underfoot and the route straight up and down is about 6km.
The trail run as described is 10k and gives runners time to freshen up at the car before the walkers reach the bottom.
I was lucky enough to find company on a fabulous sunny morning. Gemma and I set off up the forestry road, past the gate and straight on along the track. The path, even this low down, already had some icy patches but these could be easily avoided on the wide forest track.
From the parking area, enter the forest by the obvious gate and follow the track straight ahead. It soon bears left then right, and descends a short way, before you take a turning left at a large junction. The track now begins to ascend up the “back” of the Bin.
This section of track is at a very pleasant gradient and, partly because it is very runnable, we soon began to feel the exertion of the height gain. The winter sunshine gave the forest scene a wonderful golden look, enhancing the browns and yellows of winter vegetation.
Another junction is reached where you bear left again, continuing to climb up the hill. You soon break out of the forest and it’s worth pausing to enjoy the views south behind you, opening out over Aberdeenshire and Moray.
Follow the track as it zigzags gently up to the summit, and then take the short boggy path on your left to arrive at the summit cairn.
The viewpoint at the top picks out the landmarks you can see, and the 360-degree vista, taking in sea, farmland and mountains as far apart as the Cairngorms and Morven, in Caithness, is an invigorating sight. It was only the temperature that encouraged us to start back down the hill after a short time enjoying the reward of our efforts.
It felt wonderfully wintry, and the icy, hard ground added some interest (or maybe difficulty!) to the descent.
Start back down the way you came and, if you fancy a short section of more technical descending, take the shortcut on your left that heads straight down the hill and cuts through the track’s zigzags, turning left back onto the main track at the bottom of these rocky paths.
The wide forest track gives good running downhill and, when you get to a large junction, turn left. The track is such pleasant going it is easy to run past this path; indeed I did a flying stop on a particularly large area of ice and am still not sure how I managed to stay upright – Gemma’s exclamation confirmed the skate looked as dramatic as it felt!
Head along this track, following it (ignoring a track to the right) as it bears left around the bottom of the Bin and narrows to a pleasant singletrack path. We bowled along through the woods until the path abruptly doubled back on itself.
Continuing along grassy forest tracks, keep straight on as a track joins from the left, and bear right at the next junction. As the forest road begins to rise uphill, carry straight on as a track joins from the right. The path becomes more built up and begins a long pull back up the hill, an ascent that goes on for a surprisingly long time.
The track continues around the hill, with clear evidence of recent forest operations, the benefit of this being a large clearing that gives excellent views down to Cullen and, behind it, the Outer Moray Firth.
After the clearing, continue to bear right along the main track, heading slightly uphill again as another track comes in from the left to meet it.
The track levels out, back in the trees, and then drops down. Head straight across at a junction to rejoin the track from the car park for one last, short climb. The gate to the road soon appears ahead.
After a short stretch of used muscles we donned a couple of extra layers and made the quick drive round to the village for a warming and well-earned bowl of Cullen Skink – well, you have to, don’t you?
