Route Summary
This is an energetic walk in a variety of woodland habitats in the Den of Rothie, at Fyvie, in rural Aberdeenshire. It is fairly long at over 8km, with an appreciable overall ascent of over 200m. In season, there are numerous opportunities to identify fungi along the way.
Duration: 2.5 hours.
Route Overview
Duration: 2.5 hours.
Transport/Parking: There are frequent Stagecoach #35 bus services from Aberdeen. See timetables. Free parking at walk start/end point.
Length: 8.230 km / 5.14 mi
Height Gain: 213 meter.
Height Loss: 213 meter.
Max Height: 172 meter.
Min Height: 48 meter.
Surface: Moderate. Mostly good forest roads and tracks. One gate to climb after Waypoint 3.
Difficulty: Medium.
Child Friendly: Yes, if children are used to walks of this distance and overall ascent.
Dog Friendly: Yes. Den Wood is part of Fyvie Castle Estate. They request that dogs be on lead. On lead on public roads.
Refreshments: Fyvie Castle Tea Room. Vale Hotel. Sheiling Tor chip shop, after 4 pm.
Description
*** We have recently received a report that forestry operations have made route-finding between Waypoint 8 and Waypoint 11 tricky and confusing. Please bear this in mind before undertaking the walk. We intend to re-visit and update the instructions. We advise, in the meantime, it would be best if you can follow the route on a mobile device using Viewranger, Outdooractive, or another system to which you have downloaded our GPX file. It may also help to go directly from Waypoint 8 to Waypoint 11, missing out the section that includes Waypoints 9 and 10. To do this, go left, not right, at Waypoint 8. In a short distance (50 m, or so) you will arrive at Waypoint 11. ***
If you appreciate woodland walks this is an excellent and enjoyable example of the type. The first half of the route, in the Den of Rothie, accompanies the tumbling Fordoun Burn in fairly open mixed mature woodland, including some large North American conifers. This section of the forest policies was first planted in the late 18thC as part of a much wider programme of Fyvie Castle Estate improvements that continued well into the 19thC. After crossing the Fordoun Burn at Waulkmill Wood, the return point on the route, the environment begins to change to more commercial conifer plantations as we ascend onto the flanks of the Hill of Petty and the Cairn Hill. The age, spacing, and types of trees in the plantations varies, however, and, occasionally, there are tantalising glimpses of the wider Formartine countryside. In the final section of the walk there is a gentle descent along a field edge to the outskirts of Fyvie. Throughout the walk, in season, there are numerous opportunities to identify mushrooms and other fungi. After completing the walk we recommend that you visit Fyvie Castle – with its impressive 18thC designed landscape and artificial lake surrounding the much older castle. For more information, see:
http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/GDL00184
Links:
Photos from walk
Download Route Guide (PDF with illustrated Waypoints)
Download GPX file (GPS Exchange Format)
Access Walk on Viewranger
Access Walk on Wikiloc
The Mack Walks 