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Name:Meikle Balloch Hill
Hill number:1510
Height:366m / 1201ft
RHB Section:21A: Tomintoul to Banff
County/UA:Aberdeenshire, Moray
Catchment:Deveron
Class:Marilyn, Hump, Tump (300-399m), Yeaman
(Ma,Hu,Tu,3,Y)
Grid ref:NJ 47110 49506
Summit feature:no feature: ground 5m from track between trig point and cairn
Drop:193m
Col:173m  NJ420453  
OS map sheet(s):(1:50k) 28 29
(1:25k) 425S
Observations:summit is 70m SW of trig point (NJ 47165 49553) and 50m NE of cairn (NJ 47068 49480)
Survey:Abney level
GPS data:show GPS entries for this hill

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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way.  Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land(*).
*For information about access rights in Scotland see the ScotWays website.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass.  Please quote the hill number and hill name.

Logged Descriptions  (logged by 212 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all)ByDate of Ascent
Stopped off for a quick walk up normal route nice sunny cold dayJamesand Allison06/01/2024
Emtb from car park to WestPeteF24/06/2023
Up forest track mid evening and with advice from locals that the forest track was driveable to area above the wind blown trees immediately blocking the wind blown trees blocking normal n walking path, so decided to explore further and actually drive quite high up on south side with only 15/20 mins walk to summitvegibagger22/06/2023
From waterworks car park (NJ458493), blue path upwards still blocked by multiple fallen trees, so NE along forest roads to the start of the N end of the blue route, marked by a post, then direct up good path to trig point, short distance SW to summit, return same way (1h5m)kdbennett11/02/2023
From west, car park above the water works. Blue path still closed by trees, easy zig-zag through gate and up track to rejoin the path. Lovely snowy ascent up through trees. Snow and ice on summit.Minto07/12/2022
Route as described by Minto. Lovely straight path directly up through the trees. With Mntainman & Minto.Dangerous Dave07/12/2022
Walked up as others from the waterworks base at the West of the Hill. The very start of the Blue trail is out of action but go through gate by car park, zig to the right at first junction and after about 200 yards you are back able to access blue circuit. The full circuit is very pretty, enjoyed this wee hill.nickywood112/09/2022
Good parking at end of road NJ459494. Blue route currently closed due to windfall. Easily by-passed on mapped tracks - NE, hairpin S, resuming direct route at NJ 4604 4929.carole engel16/05/2022
Third Marilyn of the day. A wee detour needed due to forestry work but nothing to out of the way.Pilotralph 13/03/2022
Parked at car park near the Scottish Water waterworks and walk up the most direct route to the summit.JasonStark26/02/2022
Bottom of section of direct path from car park to summit closed due to fallen trees. From track from car park take first turning right which brings you to top of closed path section. Above there all is clear.nicolajane10/12/2021
from the car park, waysigned path.BLACKHILL30/09/2021
Blue is the colour, walking is the game; were all together, and summits are our aim.summitter02/09/2020
From Balloch Wood car park, 458493, via marked circular blue trail.Winterfloodian21/08/2020
Long version. Out from Keith via Dunnyduff Wood.sarahk12/04/2020
easy sign posted route. busy car park.VerySlowPlodder08/03/2020
Parked at the water works, west of the hill, followed the path directly east all the way to the top. Early start in the dark but no issues finding the waySimon Winton06/01/2020
My first hill of 2020 and an easy ascent following the blue markers on a good path. It was blowing a gale so I returned the same way in order to have respite in the trees though I believe a more exposed but circular route is an option, also on the blue markers.Peterb03/01/2020
Waterworks CP, Blue route.Play2End03/09/2019
Walked from Keith. New network of paths giving a direct route to summitButeobuteo27/05/2019
From tiny FC CP adjacent to water works at NJ458493. 'Blue' route straight up through trees to top.Isbjorn22/05/2019
tickchazzyboy1911/09/2018
Self, Peter and dog. Via the blue route from car park by waterworks. Pleasing to note the presence of pine marten scat in the forest, despite the popularity of the hill.Invicta1419/08/2018
Someone has built a tiny cairn now on high point.Dave McG10/06/2018
Up the Blue Route from the Waterworks, down the Red to Burnmouth.Chris Peart20/05/2018
Blue route from car parktrimarc214/05/2018
From CP following Blue Route.ger19/04/2018
As others from the water works to the west up the great blue path. New path spoil heap at summit over tops the true summit in heightN.Morters12/04/2018
Blue route, as others. 3rd of 7 today, on a lovely sunny day: Ben Aidan, Knockan, Meikle Balloch, Knock Hill, Fourman Hill, Hill of Tillymorgan, Hill of Foudland.PGCE20/02/2018
nice views of Ben Rinnes.gettingonabit18/02/2018
From the waterworks, using the blue route. I was advised by a local that I would not be able to get my car up the hill because of the ice, but it was easy. A snowy, icy walk through the forestry, and the path beyond the trees was a peaty slush fest. Nice views from the top. Returned using the other half of the blue route, which has a better surfaced path, so less slush.Gill31/12/2017
From Balloch Forest CP. at Keith. With Karen and Lauren.ChrisR17/06/2017
Solo HFB06/08/2016
ascended using the 'blue walk' between work meetings! Made entry into summit log at trig point!raffemeister21/06/2016
Weather fair.MountainMac23/01/2016
Easy up w Jenx from the water works, the Blue route. New raised ground near to trig potential new high point. Mini bing methinks ;-) Crisp and cold/clear daynordicstar19/01/2016
Good early morning walk. Took the circular blue route.jenx19/01/2016
Circuit on marked trail from car park behind waterworks. Route and write-up at: http://gayleybird.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/knock-hill-and-meikle-of-balloch.htmlGayle28/08/2015
Here for the trigpoint. TP:UK log: Lovely walk up the blue route, path is very well maintained and although steep at the start made for an easy ascent compared to some I've done recently. Descent just as easy and evidence of ongoing path maintenance. Great views to Keith and Newmills from the top, spotted lots of climbed and unclimbed peaks!thejackrustles08/08/2015
Circular trail as marked on signage at car park by the waterworks.benalder28414/06/2015
from carpark at water works followed marked trail to the summit.robertphillips16/05/2015
Quick walk up here whilst geocaching, main track from Keith.mcbboyd23/03/2015
Trail from water worksAndrewFinnimore05/08/2014
Easy walk up the blue trail from the carpark behind the water treatment works. Drizzly rain.Thearlaichdubh07/05/2014
Doing trig.BigJ20/03/2014
Glorious day.bolton19/02/2013
With Anne. From Coachford along forest tracks. Contrary to my OS 1:50,000 map a track continues from the forest over open ground to the trig point. Trig point is not the highest point, this being someway SW of the trig point and off the track. Returned same way.pwbellarby30/09/2012
With IS, from Wester Herricks. Expected a fight through the trees from this side but there is a nice forest walk that goes over the summit.amswanston01/07/2012
With AS. Part Carried. With IS, from Wester Herricks. Expected a fight through the trees from this side but there is a nice forest walk that goes over the summit. iks01/07/2012
Lovely hill with walks through woods to summit, good for a family. Started from parking spot at NJ457495 near works.sotabagger12/05/2012