DAY 22
WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER, 2008
PENNAN TO BANFF – 15 MILES, 6 HOURS
MORRIS AND PHIL
TOTAL DISTANCE WALKED SO FAR 355.2 MILES
The homemade food and accommodation at our overnight stop, the Palace Farm B&B, is well worthy of recommendation and ‘mine host’ Pat welcomed us with a pot of tea and delicious home baking. After a hearty breakfast Pat kindly drove us to Cullykhan Bay to start our days walk. From the car park we made our way in sunshine back towards Pennan Bay before retracing our steps to the car park and then inland towards Troup House to enable us to cross a gulley which runs to the sea at Lion’s Head. This entailed quite a stiff climb up a tree, bracken and whin covered hillside bringing us to the clifftops west of Hell’s Lumb. From here we followed the clifftops until again forced inland by another whin covered steep gulley which runs to the sea at DownieBay. At the end of the gulley there is a RSPB car park from where we followed the marked path to Troup Head and then along the clifftops past Collie Head, Crovie Head and down the hillside to the picturesque village of Crovie. Walking through the village we stopped and spoke to Cath Roberts an artist who was busy sketching. (Cath will be showing her work at the ARI in Aberdeen soon). Walking on we followed the sea edge path round the rocks into Gardenstown where we bought some cakes and drinks from the local bakers shop. Our route out of Gardenstown took us past the harbour, along the pebble foreshore to a gulley at Castle Hill. From here it was a hard half hour climb initially on a good path past the ruins of St John’s church then finding our own way through bracken and whin up to the clifftops near More Head. We followed the clifftops past Meran Links and Stocked Head before moving inland to join the farm road through Mains of Melrose to avoid the double gulley ahead at Old Haven. After passing Mill of Melrose we made our way round the end of the gulleys and crossed the fields north of Cornhill Farm back to the coast. From here we walked along the edge of Royal Tarlair golf course into Macduff. Walking on the coast road we visited Macduff harbour before walking on across the Deveron Bridge to our destination at Banff where we caught a bus back to Aberdeen and train to Edinburgh.
Summary; In general good walking conditions. A few testing uphill scrambles which could be avoided by using roads. Map required.
Highs; Good weather again and fabulous views.
Lows; All the detours round the gulleys.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
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- Outside the excellent B&B at Palace Farm with mine host Pat
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- Looking across to the beach at Cullykhan Bay
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- Looking back at Pennan from the fort at Cullykhan Bay
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- Looking back to Pennan Head from Lions Head
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- Looking back to Pennan Head from Lions Head
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- Phil on the cliff top path at Troupe Head
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- Looking ahead towards More Head with Macduff and Banff in the distance
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- Looking ahead to Crovie and Gardenstown
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- On the cliff tops above Crovie
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- Making our way through the lovely fishing hamlet of Crovie
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- Artist Cath Roberts busy sketching in Crovie
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- The SS Vigilant plaque at Crovie
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- Looking back at Crovie from the seaside path at Gardenstown
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- Seafront houses at Gardenstown
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- Gardenstown harbour
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- Phil enjoying a bun from the bakers in Gardenstown
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- Phil on the beach at Gardenstown with the hill we had to climb behind him
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- The hillside we have to climb from the sea edge at Gardenstown
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- Looking back along the sea edge to Gardenstown
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- View back from the hillside to Gardenstown and Crovie
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- Looking back at Gardenstown and Crovie from St Johns church yard on the hill above
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- skull and crossbones …..are their pirates buried here!!!!!
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- Looking ahead from near More Head towards MacDuff and Banff
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- The veiw back from near Morehead
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- Spectacular view of the cliffs at Stocked Head
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- The huge gully at Old Haven
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- Morris near the golf course with the view back down the coast behind.
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- MacDuff in the distance
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- Looking across Royal Tarlair golf course to MacDuff
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- View back down the coast from near the golf course
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- Joining the road into MacDuff at the golf course
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- MacDuff Harbour
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- The entrance to MacDuff harbour
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- The sea front at MacDuff
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- Looking across to Banff from the Deveron bridge.
Day 22 Route Map, click to enlarge.
