Route Summary
An enjoyable country ramble with barely noticeable gentle ascents and descents. There are some fine views of rolling farmland at various points along the way, and the Wrae Pond, at the turning point on the route, is a sheltered and peaceful scenic delight.
Duration: 3 hours.
Route Overview
Duration: 3 hours.
Transport/Parking: There is a frequent Stagecoach bus service from Aberdeen. Check timetables. There is free parking at the walk start/end point in Haughs Park, Turriff.
Length: 10.9 km / 6.77 mi Height Gain/Loss: 142 meter.
Max Height: 76 meter. Min Height: 28 meter.
Surface: Moderate. Mostly good paths (and tarred surfaces within Turriff). Suitable for an off-road mobility scooter by taking a 1.45 km diversion through the streets of Turriff due to accessibility problems at Waypoints 2 and 4. See note at Waypoint 2.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium.
Child Friendly: Yes, if children are used to walks of this distance.
Dog Friendly: Yes, but keep dogs on lead on public roads and near farm animals.
Refreshments: There are options in Turriff. We can also recommend Delgatie Castle Tearoom.
Description
This is a very pleasant rural walk to and from the farming town of Turriff, mostly surrounded by fields and woodland amongst the gentle rolling hills that characterise this part of the so-called “Buchan Plain”. The name “Turriff” is derived from the Gaelic “Torraibh” (place of round hills), and local people still use something close to the Gaelic pronunciation in referring to their town as “Turra”. Most of the route follows the former track of the Turriff – Macduff railway line. The turning point is at the very scenic Wrae Pond (or Lake), set in a large hollow surrounded by trees and bushes. It is a delightful spot and, although man-made within living memory, has become a very well-established haven for wildlife. It was built, in the latter half of the 20thC, by local farmer, George Norrie, and his son, Sandy, by damming the Luncarty Burn. George, now deceased, was well recognised throughout the farming community for his agricultural and environmental achievements. The walk starts, however, in the centre of Turriff at the Haughs park where one of Scotland’s best-known annual agricultural shows is held, attracting crowds of 40,000. The route then takes a relaxing amble along the banks of the Turriff Burn, also passing the local football and sports ground, before skirting the edge of Turriff’s verdant parkland golf course. There and back, the former railway line main section of the walk is around 7 km. The Turriff – Macduff railway line never quite made it to Banff, as originally intended, stopping instead at Banff Bridge, on the outskirts of Macduff. The rise of motorised transport in the first half of the 20thC undermined the economic case for the rail service, and the line was closed in 1951. The final section of the route takes a stroll from the north-western outskirts, to the centre of Turriff, passing many older buildings constructed of an appealing red sandstone. A highlight, along the way, is the attractive “Turra Coo” sculpture, commemorating an emotional anti-tax protest involving the emblematic cow, by local farmers and their workers in 1913.
Links:
Photos from walk
Download Route Guide (PDF with illustrated Waypoints)
Download GPX file (GPS Exchange Format)
Access Walk on OutdoorActive
Access Walk on OSMaps
Access Walk on Alltrails
Access Walk on Wikiloc
The Mack Walks 