Start : Bruce's Stone car park (DG8 6FA) Grid ref. NX 41386 80294
(S/E) From Bruce's Stone car park, continue North-East along the road.
(1) On the right, you have the optional short detour to visit Bruce's Stone itself, then return to this point. If you'd like to do that, turn right (South) and you will find the stone 100m down the path. Otherwise, go to (2).
(2) Continue ahead to The Merrick Trail which starts here, at a large information board. The first section of the trail winds its way uphill on a well-defined path alongside the pretty Buchan Burn. It then levels out, passing through an area of forestry, and arriving next to Culsharg Bothy 1.75km up, at 260m elevation.
(3) From here, the path starts a fairly steep ascent, arriving at a forestry track after 260m. The continuation of the route is through a gate in the deer fence at the other side of the road. You will enter a small forest which is probably the steepest section of the entire walk. Emerging from the forest, the path heads out onto open hillside.
(4) At 515m elevation or about 1km from the forestry track, there is another gate to go through.
(5) The track then begins to bend to the right and at 620m elevation it meets up with an old dry stone wall which it follows North East up the hillside.
(6) The summit of Bennyellary is reached, marked by a large cairn. Continue past this summit, heading North to descend slightly then cross a wide grassy ridge with a steep drop on your right-hand side. You are still following the course of the dry stone wall, which should be on your left.
(7) After beginning another ascent, the path begins to come away from the wall (heading North East) at 710m elevation. It is then an easy final ascent to the top of the Merrick. This summit is marked by a trig point surrounded by a walk-in cairn.
(8) Return via the same route to Bruce's Stone car park (S/E)
