FOREST of BIRSE to ABOYNE
OS. Map Sht.44.
16th. March 2008
Ballater.
The walk today follows a part of one of the old Mounth roads which cross the Grampians from Angus to Deeside.
The starting point is just beyond Birse Church at the head of the Feugh valley (0.S.GR.532.906) where we take the road up
towards Birse Castle and follow the edge of a plantation of trees to a junction of tracks north west of the trees. (Members
are requested to keep clear of the castle).
Take the track which climbs the hill behind the castle and heads northwards to skirt the steep valley of the Gwaves. In about
a mile a stone shooting lodge is passed and the track drops down to cross a burn before curving eastwards across a boggy
hollow. At NGR.514.926 it turns northwards again heading for the trees in the dip between Duchery Beg and Carnferg.
There is the option here of climbing to the top of Carnferg(525m.,1722ft.), a good viewpoint for the middle Dee valley. At
the top beside the 0.S.trig point there is a large cairn and a memorial to someone called ‘Heaven’. From the summit descend
north-westwards to rejoin the track just before it enters the trees.
At a junction leave the bulldosed track and take a path on the left through the trees which crosses the Allt Dinnie burn and
heads for a stone lodge called the Guard marking the boundary of the Glentanar estate. Near the lodge three tracks converge.
Take the middle one straight ahead which leads in a short distance to a stone circle with a memorial seat at the head of a
little glen with a distant view of Aboyne village. The seat is named “Rest and be Thankful” and was erected by the nineteenth
century laird of Glentanar, William Cunliffe Brookes,(his initials and dates are engraved on one of the circle entrance stones).
The track then descends through the trees and crosses the Allt Dinnie again before arriving at a junction of farm roads near
the derelict cottage of Parkside. Take the road which heads northwards alongside the burn past Birsemor Loch and comes out on the B.976 South Deeside road at Birsemore. The road braniching right then crosses the River Dee at a bridge and enters
Aboyne. The bus will be parked at car park in the centre of the village.
Walking distance7 miles.
(The ascent of Carnferg adds 2 miles and 377ft. of climbing to this). |
