I
lived for about 4 months in the wee village of Crovie -
it was a wonderful and unforgettable experience. Spectacular
cliffs around Banff and Buchan shelter secluded, sandy coves,
tiny hamlets and the ruins of old fortresses. Precipitous
cliff-top paths take in the magnificent Highland scenery
and dramatic sunsets that distinguish this section of coast.
Old villages show traces of a prosperous fishing industry
in days gone by, and folk museums bring local history vividly
to life.
Aberchirder
Rolling
patchwork fields surround gravel approach road, overhung
with beech and sycamore. Fine woodland walk leads from village;
once the smallest burgh in Banffshire. Founded in 1764.
Aden
Country Park
Estate
dating from 18th century with restored farm buildings, mined
mansion, and 230 acres of field, forest and walled nursery
garden. Exhibition of local farming life; past and present.
Woodland walks by lake and along South Ugie Water; deer,
rabbits and foxes often seen.
Banff
Ancient
fishing port at mouth of River Deveron. Seven-arch bridge
spans river. Royal burgh in 1372; fashionable 18th-century
wintering resort; now a quiet holiday resort with sandy
beaches and sailing centre. Town of architectural surprises:
Greek columns, crow-stepped gables, Venetian windows and
delicate steeples. Duff House (1725-40), baroque mansion;
church dates from 1789. Local history and British bird exhibition
in Banff Museum.
Boddam
Granite
fishing village above harbour with massive concrete walls.
Dominated by lighthouse on Buchan Ness, dating from 1827.
Built by Robert Stevenson.. grand-father of author R.L.
Stevenson, and linked to mainland by bridge.
Bridge
of Alvah
Walk
of 2 miles from Banff's Duff House leads inland through
woods beside River Deveron to Alvah Bridge, crossing river
4Oft above impressive gorge. Follow path past Mains of Montcoffer
and turn north over wooded hill to join main road near Banff
Bridge; circular walk of 41/2 miles.
Bridge
of Marnoch
Handsome
bridge spanning River Deveron. Marnoch Old Church built
1792 with standing stone nearby. Special wool from resi-dent
llamas and alpacas sold at Cloverleaf Fibre Stud Farm. Culi-nary,
aromatic and medicinal herbs grown and sold at Old Manse
Herb Garden.
Buchan
Line Walkway
Long-distance
footpath created along line of old Buchan railway. Station
yard at Maud has been
landscaped and picnic tables pro-vided. Some of Buchan's
best scenery; wildlife abounds.
Bullers
of Buchan
Sea
has carved immense rock amphitheatre and cave in cliffs.
'Bullers' probably derived from 'boilers', referring to
seething waters. Cliff-top path leads along dizzy knife-edge,
100ft above waves. Gulls, kittiwakes and guillemots scream
and wheel in the maze of cliffs and stacks that form the
coast.
Cruden
Bay
Village
and Port Erroll harbour are centre of popular holiday area
with sandy beaches, dunes and championship golf course.
Cruden Water spanned by Bishop's Bridge of 1697. Stark ruins
of Slams Castle above gaunt cliffs are thought to have inspired
setting for Dracula, as author Brain Stoker used to holiday
here. Castle built 1664 by Earl of Errol, Great Con-stable
of Scotland.
Delgatie
Castle
Grand
13th-century home of the Clan Hay. Altered in 16th century
with fine painted ceilings dating from 1570, and collections
of paintings and armour. Mary, Queen of Scots visited in
1562; her portrait hangs in her room. The mighty turnpike
stair has 97 steps.
Duff
House
Richly
detailed mansion on edge of Banff is one of Britain's finest
works of Georgian baroque archi-tecture. Designed by William
Adam in 1735 for William Doff, later 1st Earl of Fife. A
second classical wing added 1870, then house drifted into
decay. It served as a hotel and sanitorium; and housed German
prisoners of World War II. Rooms are now restored but mansion
still unfurnished and uninhabited. Exhibition on building's
history.
Fraserburgh
Busy
fishing port at end of rocky Kinnairds Head, where 1570
castle was converted into 1786 lighthouse; one of Scotland's
oldest. Mysterious Wine Tower at head of steep cove has
no stairs between its three floors; purpose unknown. Dune-backed
sands at Fraserburgh Bay. morning fish market at the quay,
and fishing trips from the harbour.
Fyvie
Resort
village in wooded vale of River Ythan, bordered by corn-fields
and pine forests. Early 19th-century parish church has east
window created by American artist, Louis Tiffany, featuring
life-size St Michael with flaming sword. Unusual oak pulpit
is carved in shape of huge wine-glass. Wild path through
woods leads to ruins of 16th-century Gight Castle.
Fyvie
Castle
Stately
fortress with five great towers named after owners of last
500 years: Preston, Meldrum, Seton, Gordon and Leith. Oldest
part dates from the 13th century. Labyrinth of rooms and
passages, rich in Edwardian furnishings and 16th-century
tapestries. Great spiral staircase, with loft wide steps,
rises through five floors.
Gardenstown
Busy
fishing village clinging to steep hillside above Gamrie
Bay, overlooked by Castle Hill of Findon, with good views
of the surrounding cliffs. To the west, ruined chapel of
1513 said to be on site of older church built to commemorate
victory over invading Danes in 1004. Short walk along path
from harbour's east end leads to tiny twin village of Crovie.
Glendronach
Distillery
Fine
aromas of malt whisky fill old distillery, founded 1826.
Visitor centre, guided tours.
Honeyneuk
Bird Park
Rambling
wildlife and conservation park housing over 100 species
of birds and animals. Special breeding centre nurtures rare
species. Pets' corner.
Loudon
Wood Circle
Forest
clearing reveals Buchan prehistoric stone circle -- central
stone weighs about 12 tons.
Longside
Set
about with trees and well-kept gardens, village has two
contrasting churches and ruins of third. On left of road
into village, small Episcopalian church with large bell
tower is gem of 19th-century architecture; built of blue-grey
stone, with windows by pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones.
Spacious parish church dating from 18th century has large
gallery. Standing next to it is its ruined 17th-century
predecessor.
Macduff
Resort
town, formerly known as Doune, with busy fishing harbour,
crammed with salmon nets and lobster pots. Boatyard on western
side. Hill of Doune, reached by path from east end of Banff
Bridge, provides fine views of Deveron estuary and Banff
on west side of bridge.
New
Aberdour
Single
street lined with fishermen's cottages, 1 mile from sea.
Steep road leads to pebble beach at mouth of Dour valley,
where caverns riddle red-sandstone cliffs. Ruined church
of Old Aberdour, among the oldest in north Scotland, has
a number of interesting gravestones.
New
Deer
Village
high street leads to Hill of Culsh, topped by austere monument
to a local landlord. Fine view over hills of Buchan and
towards Bennachie hills.
Northfield
Farm Museum
Old
farm tools, beautifully restored stationary engines and
various household items recall agricultural life in Victorian
times.
Pennan
Tiny
one-street village with stone cottages and harbour. To the
west, the road plunges down to Cullykhan Bay, where waves
pound into huge clefts and caves. To the east, sheer cliffs
of red sandstone provide nesting sites for numerous sea
birds. Cliffs pitted with caves and tunnels, accessible
at low tide.
Peterhead
Busy
port with some 400 fishing boats and lively fish auctions
each morning. Pink-granite town clus-ters around huge harbour
that took more than 70 years to build, beginning in 1886.
Ruined pre-Reformation church of St Peter stands among gravestones
on South Road. Arbuthnot Museum in St Peter Street features
display on local history. Trout fishing in River Ugie.
Portsoy
Thriving
resort and haven for pleasure craft, with restored 17th
and 18th-century harbour ware-houses. Look for souvenirs
made from local red and green marble. Coastal walks lead
west to Sand-end Bay, and east to mined 16th-century Boyne
Castle.
Remains
to be Seen
Museum
in Quilquox featuring period clothes and fine display of
porcelain. Special gardens were planted by an ornithologist
to attract variety of birds. Children's play area.
Rosehearty
One
of Scotland's oldest seaports, surrounding peaceful harbour
used by inshore fishermen. Open-air sea-water swimming pool,
and golf course. Small museum has displays on local history.
Impress-lye ruins of Pitsligo Castle, half a mile south,
date from 1424. Pitsligo Church, 1 mile south, is noted
for richly carved gallery.
Sandhaven
Sleepy
old fishing village where seals can be watched from rocky
shoreline. Sea walls, battered by storms, still protect
inshore fishing boats. Oatmeal mill at eastern end worked
continuously for 200 years; closed in 1981.
Strichen
Stone Circle
Impressive
Buchan stone circle has been dismantled and re-erected many
times in traumatic history. Near Mains of Strichen farm,
half a mile west of village.
Towie
Barclay Castle
Unique
tower house, now in ruins, dating from 16th century. Upper
storeys are no more, but remaining Great Hall is considered
one of most imaginative of all tower-house interiors and
is Gothic and medieval in inspiration. Visit by prior appointment.
Turriff
Bustling,
red-sandstone market town, created a burgh of barony in
1511. Ancient ruined church has elaborate double belfry
built in 1635 and bell dated 1559.
White
Cow Wood
Marked
walks through spruce woods noted for badger setts and herons.
Beyond, road down to Strichen yields view of Mormond Hill
with white horse etched into slope; filled in with stones
of gleaming white quartz.
Whitehills
Small
fishing village built around thriving harbour. Harbour road
leads east to Boyndie Bay, and stony track continues to
Banff. Chalybeate spring just off track once part of fashionable
19th-century circuit for visitors 'taking the waters' around
Banff.
