New Walk – Tracy Goes Outside

Aberdeenshire Walks, New Walk, Places to Walk

Explore Kintore

3rd Dec 20259th Dec 2025 tracygoesoutside

Distance: 5 miles Time: 2-3 hrs Terrain: Mix of pavement, road, grass and rough trail Access: Easy with some elevation 45Getting there: I found plenty of on street parking around the Kintore Public hall area AB51 OQP. Kintore has very good public transport links. The train station is only a short walk and there is a bus stop in the square.

Explore Kintore is a fantastic new interactive history tour of the town. At each stop you will find a QR code to scan, giving you a short two-minute story about the place where you are standing.

I began the walk at Kintore Public Hall on School Road. Built in 1894, the hall is still run by the community and is the starting point of the tour. From here, take a left towards the church.

At the church you will find three QR codes. At the gates stands the war memorial, one side has a list of those who gave their lives in the Great War. Go through the gates to find records those who fell in the Second World War. Next to the gates is the Kintore Pictish Stone, discovered in the churchyard but possibly from Castle Hill. Turning around you will see Kintore Kirk, the parish church built in 1819.

Leaving the kirkyard, turn left along Kingsfield Road until you reach the edge of town. On the right is a large white house, and just beyond it another QR code. This tells the story of the Aberdeenshire Canal, closed long ago to ma ay for the railway.I took a short detour furth along the road here to capture the view of the train tracks with Bennachie in the background.

Heading back along Kingsfield Road, continue into town until you reach the road called Howieslap on your left. Turn down here and walk straight on, when you come to wooden sheds you will see a grassy track. Follow the track right to reach a footbridge over Tuach Burn.

Cross the bridge and head uphill to the mast on Tuach Hill, where you can also bag a trig point. Looking back over Kintore, take the track on your left. This leads past an old quarry and the remains of Carn Ulach, a stone circle. Keep following the trail until it rejoins the main track.

Soon you will come to a fork. Take the left path down into the park and cross another bridge, gated but accessible. After the bridge turn right to find a bench with a QR code about Tuach Hill.

From here continue straight on, then turn left at the next junction. At the end of the road, turn right and cross over. A path with bollards to the left leads you to the play park, built on the site of the Roman camp known as Deer’s Den. Another QR code here tells its story.

From Deer’s Den, continue along Hallforest Drive. Cross the road at the roundabout and carry on along Castle Road, under the bypass, until you reach a large house on the right. Just beyond it, turn right for Hallforest Castle.

Dating back to the 14th century, Hallforest Castle is one of the oldest in Scotland. After visiting, follow the road past the ruins, turning right, then right again, and finally left to return under the bypass.

Keep straight until you reach the roundabout.Take a left onto Hallforest Avenue, then turn left again at the T junction onto Forest Road. This leads you back to the square for the final two QR codes.

The first is at Kintore Town House, a striking building commissioned by the Earl of Kintore in the 18th century. At the front stands the Kintore Millennium Stone. The final QR code is at the Kintore Arms Hotel.

This tour is a brilliant way to uncover the history of Kintore. It is well designed, easy to follow, and brings the past to life. I hope other communities take inspiration from this project and create similar tours to celebrate their own heritage.

kintore.org.uk

Moray Walks, New Walk, Places to Walk

Hiking up Ben Rinnes

9th Feb 202524th Oct 2025 tracygoesoutside

Distance: 4 3/4 miles Time:2 1/2hrs – 4hrs Level: Moderate with lots of elevation. Access: Arrive by car. Parking available at the foot of the hill at AB55 4DA. No public transport.

Ben Rinnes is 841 metres high and is classed as a Corbett. It is a mountain so please be mindful of this and be prepared before setting off. Make sure you have suitable clothing, footwear, food and water. The weather can be very different at the bottom as it is at the top.

From the carpark head through the gate. Here you will follow the path as it meanders up the first small hill known as Round Hill. At the top of Round Hill, the path flattens out briefly. Then you start to ascend Roy’s Hill. You will continue on the well made path throughout.

As you reach the summit of Roy’s Hill, the path flattens out again. You will get a welcome breather before your final ascent to the summit of Ben Rinnes.

The last section is the most challenging with the mix of path and steps on the way up. This is a great opportunity to stop and take some photos. It will give you a chance to catch your breath.

When you reach the top, head round the back of the tor (large rock formation). Then climb the last wee bit to get to the summit trig point. If you are lucky enough to have a calm, clear day, you will enjoy stunning views across Moray. You can also see the Cairngorms on such days.

To ascend, you will retrace your steps down Ben Rinnes. Then, head down Roy’s Hill and Round Hill before returning to the carpark. This marks the end of the hike.

Moray Walks, New Walk, Places to Walk

The Intake and Canal Fochabers

4th Mar 20239th Dec 2025 tracygoesoutside

This is a beautiful trail that not only takes you along a section of the River Spey it gives you a chance to see the remains of a very interesting hydro scheme that was way ahead of its time dating back to the early 20th century, the initiative came from the Duke of Richmond and Gordon who for some years envisaged his Castle being lit by electricity.

Paved area with rockery at each side with 2 large stones and view of the river spey in front — View of the River Spey

Distance: 2 ¾ miles Time: 1hr Level: Easy low-level walk Terrain: Well walked woodland paths with some tarred and pavement walking. Access: Arrive by car, parking is available at the Speyside Way car park opposite the opening of Gordon Castle at IV32 7EH. There are also good bus links from Stagecoach with a stop near the start of the walk.

Route: At the car park take a left and head towards the memorial gardens where you get an amazing, framed view of the River Spey. To the left you will see some steps, go down them and follow the path along. There is a small opening if you want to get a good view of the fish ladder. Back on the path go over the footbridge at the fish ladder you will see the signpost to the Intake.

Footbridge over the ford, with trees and sun shining through — Footbridge at the salmon ladder

Once over the footbridge you will pass some big houses, then there is a fork in the road, take the right fork towards the wooded area. Once on the wood track you will see a wayward marker post, just after you pass it take the opening to the right on the narrower path. This is where you will first see the derelict canal. The path can be quite uneven here and wet but well worth walking and getting dubby boots for.

Old canal filled with leaves and debris — Old canal

Keep on this path, it will eventually come to the edge of the river where you will get some great views of Ben Aigan in the distance. Follow the path right along the river and you will come to some steps and a bench. This is a great place to stop for a picnic and do some bird spotting on the river.

Small set of steps with grass area and view of the river — Just at the intake

Just beyond the bench you will see a wee opening and a little overgrown path where you will find an information board and the intake where the water came in to power the scheme. You still see the grid that was put there to keep fish and debris out. The water ran along the lade (known as the ‘Canal’) to the power station to drive the turbines to produce the electricity.

Head back to the bench there is a path at the right that will take you along beside the edge of the canal. Keep your eyes peeled along here as there are several scrap cars buried in the undergrowth in the canal which were dumped many years ago. Keep on the same path it will take you back to the wayward marker post where you turned off.

Scrap cars in the undergrowth — Scarp cars

Once back on to the tarred road, at the fork keep right, when you get to the shed at the end of the road turn right on to West St. Halfway along you will see a waterfall on the Burn of Fochabers and a wooden foot bridge running over it. Go over the bridge then take the next right on to George St. This will take you to Fochabers Square. On the other side of the road opposite the fountain you will see a large streetlamp that commemorates the opening of the scheme. Which is a great way to finish the walk.

From the square you can just go along the High St past the traffic lights and bowling green and you will return to the carpark. There are a few cafes on the High St and a lovely ice-cream shop if you fancy some refreshments after your adventure.

Large old light with fountain and town clock in Fochabers Square — The Square Fochabers

Moray Walks, New Walk, Places to Walk

Walk to the Jean Carr’s Stone

22nd Feb 20233rd Dec 2025 tracygoesoutside

This is a interesting and possible slighty creepy place to visit near Fochabers! Details of the stone below is from the information board at the stone!

Information board surrounded by trees with stone in the distance — Jean Carr stone information board.

The stone is a large conglomerate boulder left from the ice age I million years ago and has probably lain here more or less unnoticed until the arrival of Jean Carr in the 18th century.

The story goes, although only pieces remain, that a young girl named Jean Carr was, to quote a sentence from old records, “Fan she wis a lassie, she was chained in the hoose by her father, an fan he dee’t, Jean said there wis two prisoners relieved.”

After this she fled, took to the open road and led the life of a gypsy, becoming a familiar figure in the area between Banff and Fochabers.

She led this happy life under the stars until the birth of her child. The local authorities snatched the child and housed it for safety with the village nurse. In an attempt to recover the child Jean tore at the thatched roof of the nurse’s home, only to be arrested and put in jail. After this incident the child was never seen again and Jean, now childless took to helping herself to other people’s, becoming a known nuisance in the local towns. At night Jean would seek the shelter of the great rock.

Large stone surrounded by trees — Jean Carr stone

“Lock up your bairns, Jean Carr’s in toon!” was the cry when she descended on Fochabers!

Some time later it was announced in a local paper that her son had died and Jean’s life was never the same again. At nights she would be seen disappearing in to the countryside and for many years took refuge under this stone. She was still seen wandering the byways as an old frail woman until one morning she was found, wrapped in her tattered shawl, lying in her favourite place under the ancient friendly rock cold and dead.

Distance: 2 1/4 miles Time: 1-1 1/2hrs Level: Easy with elevation Terrain: Forrest road and woodland track. Access: From Fochabers turn left at the chipshop and keep going out of town for approx 1 1/2miles. Just before you come to the Earthpillars car park on the right take the track on the left. Drive up past the opening to the house on the right till you come to a small carpark and gate into the Ordiequish woods. Click for google map link!

Route: Leaving the carpark head through the gate and start your walk on the forestry road. Just over half a mile in the road will take a turn to the left and shortly after you will come to a junction take a left here.

Wood track with trees at each side with dog running

The road will ascend straight uphill at around a mile you will pass two openings at the right before you will see an opening to the left and a narrow path. Take this path and you will soon see the information board and the stone. It’s hard to believe Jean would hike away up here but we all have that one place we love to visit!

Small path surrounded by trees — Path to the stone

Return by retracing your steps back to the carpark. There is a circuit but due to recent storms I decided that it was best not to carry on in case of falling trees.

1 black cocker spaniel and 1 brown and white cocker spaniel standing on top of stone surrounded by trees — Dixy and Suzi

Moray Walks, New Walk, Places to Walk

The Bin of Cullen

17th Feb 20233rd Dec 2025 tracygoesoutside

When you think of going to Cullen for a walk you usually think of the stunning beach of The Three Kings. But just a couple miles out of Cullen is the lovely wee hill called the Bin of Cullen a little bit different from a beach walk but still very enjoyable!

There is a maze of paths and tracks all over the Bin, this route takes you to the summit of the Bin of Cullen with fantastic views of Cullen, Buckie and right along the coastline to Spey Bay. On a very clear day the hills of the Black Isle can be seen clearly in the distance. It is a very family friendly hill that is lovely all year round.

Distance: 3.5 miles Time: 1.5-2 hours Level: Easy with some elevation Terrain: Well-trodden forestry track. The path is suitable for an off-road buggy. Access: Arrive by car. To reach the start of the walk from Cullen follow the B9018 towards Deskford for around 2 miles then turn right up the road marked Hill of Maud. Just over a mile along the road on the right-hand side you will see a gated entrance marked Seafield Estate. What3words : ///madder.focal.clipboard

There is parking for several cars just at the entrance of the walk, please be mindful when parking not to block the gate.

Woodland track with trees at each side — Track at the start of the walk

Route: Once parked go round the gate and follow the main forestry track, it does go downhill initially.Ignore the track to the right. After a short distance you will come to a small bridge over the Glen Burn. Once over the bridge there is a junction, take the track to the left which leads you through the Scots pine plantation.

The track will gradually ascend. Keep a look out for the rope swing to your right, a great place to stop for kids but I am sure some adults will not be able resist a go too.

Bridge over burn with lots of greenery — Small bridge over burn

After the rope swing further up the track there is another junction. Take a left here. Keep on this track ignoring the one to the right a little bit further on. As you reach the summit there are several narrow rough tracks, avoid them as theyare used by mountain bikers descending the summit.

Keep your eyes peeled for breaks in the trees where you get great views of the surrounding countryside. Once out of the trees the track continues zigzagging till you reach the summit with a carpet of heather at each side. When the top is reached and you find the cairn and trig point it is time to enjoy the fabulous coastal views. There is enough room at the summit if you want to have a picnic or to just sit, enjoy the views and take some photos.

View of coast line with trees at each side — View of the coast

The return route is simply retracing your steps.You will get another chance to enjoy the walk in the woods. Keep a look out for pine marten, red squirrel and crossbills. I wasn’t lucky enough to see any furry friends,. There is also an abundance of wild flowers and fungi which I did manage to photograph. As the seasons change there is always something new to spot.

View of Cullen and the Moray firth — Cullen from the summit!

Highlands Walks, New Walk, Places to Walk

Loch Insh, Uath Lochan’s and River Feshie circuit

11th Jan 20233rd Dec 2025 tracygoesoutside

I headed to the beautiful Cairngorms for this walk which takes in Loch Insh, the stunning Uath Lochan’s and the River Feshie. This is a very peaceful walk in the wilderness with plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting. I had several sightings of birds of prey along the way.

Distance: 7 ¾ miles Time: 3 ½ – 4hrs Level: Easy long walk with some elevation. Terrain: Mix of forestry track and paths with a small amount of quiet road walking. Access: Arrive by car following the signposts for Kincraig/Loch Insh outdoor adventure centre PH21 1NU. I did ask permission to park at the centre. There is a regular Stagecoach No 35 bus from Aviemore which is about a 20min walk from the Outdoor centre.

Route: The walk starts off at the Loch Insh Outdoor Centre which is a fantastic facility offering a large array of activities as well as accommodation.

In the car park head down to the shore and you will see a sign for the Loch side trail which is part of the Badenoch way. This is a very well waymarked and easy to follow section with great views across the Loch and the first opportunity for wildlife spotting.

Leaving the waterside carry on following the waymarkers through the woods till you come to a road with a house opposite. Cross the road here and turn right just after the house you will find an opening to re-join the path. The path is rather narrow here but only for a short time.

Keep on the waymarked trail and you will come to a fork and take the path to the left here. There is a long straight section, the Badenoch way turns off here to the right this is where you leave the way as you will carry straight on. About 250 yards after the Badenoch way turns off , you will take a left turn where you will find red trail markers.

Here you will head up in to Farleeitter Crag where you will find a fantastic view of Loch Insh before you are looking down on the Uath Lochan’s once you have enjoyed the views the trail will start going downhill till you come to a junction take a left here after a short walk you will come to another junction where you will take a right to take you to the Lochan’s. This is a fantastic place to stop for a picnic with stunning views.

Carry on the trail before taking the next left, you come to a road. Take a right and walk along the road for a short stretch till you come to an opening to a house road end. Go into the opening and turn to your left you will find a right of way sign. Follow the sign passing by the houses. You will come to a U-shaped house, take the path to the right here. Carry on till you come to the side of the River Feshie. As you walk along the path and you will feel like you are in total wilderness with only the wildlife for company. There are plenty of opportunities if you want to dip your feet in the beautiful clear waters.

Keep following the path right along the riverside till you come to some houses then Feshie bridge on your right. You will find a path just along from the bridge to the right of the road.

Follow the path along till you reach a small car park which then leads you to the Frank Bruce Sculpture Trail which is starting to be reclaimed by nature as it was meant. The trail is worth the detour or take the path to the right which you will find is waymarked for the East Highland way. Follow the waymarkers you will come to a farm, the path will take a left before reaching a junction.

At the junction take a right joining the Badenoch way again which you will follow till you return to the Loch Insh Outdoor Centre. Which is now a perfect time for coffee and cake at the Boathouse Bar and a well-earned rest!