Formartine & Buchan Way

Although I already had several long distance walking trails under my belt, they had all been within my own area and I was able to return home after completing each stage. Never before had I ventured further afield with the sole intention of undertaking a major walking expedition that involved overnight stays. But with a bumper 7-weeks holiday to enjoy, now was the time to change that state of affairs. I fancied tackling an old railway trail and had seen some footage of the Royal Deeside Way up in Aberdeenshire. Running 40 miles inland from Aberdeen city centre out to Ballater, the route seemed like a prime candidate. However, further investigation revealed that only sections of the trail followed the actual course of the line. Good, but I reckoned I could find a better alternative. I recalled a spot on the excellent Out of Doors shown on Radio Scotland about the Formartine & Buchan Way - also in the fair old County of Aberdeen. I listen to the show regularly and trying to identify the mystery bird call has become a weekly ritual in the House of Fraser.

Formartine and Buchan are ancient subdivisions of Aberdeenshire and the modern trail runs from Dyce (6 miles north of Aberdeen) to Fraserburgh on the northeast coast. Again, the distance was roughly 40 miles but this time the entire walk would be upon genuine trackbed. Given the flat gradient and the summer conditions, I reckoned I could cover the distance in three days. Time to get planning! A glance at the map allowed me to quickly split the walk in three sections of equal length. A snag developed when I discovered my proposed stages did not dovetail with public transport connections. I had to reformulate my schedule and the first leg to Ellon remained unchanged at 13 miles. A mammoth trek to Strichen (17 miles) would follow. before finishing with a 10-mile yomp to Fraserburgh. After each walk I could return by express bus to Aberdeen and regular services ran until the evening, relieving me of any pressure to step on the gas. A weekly regional explorer pass was available for the region but buying individual return tickets over three days would be slightly cheaper. Accommodation in Aberdeen proved plentiful and Booking.com offered a selection of budget guest houses in the city centre. I picked a room that had a microwave and fridge - handy for preparing breakfast and lunch the night before and the option of making a cheap evening meal. Shared bathroom, but that wasn't a concern. I was just looking for a convenient location to get my head down each night. I secured a return trip from Dunfermline to Aberdeen with Megabus and the time slots meant I would arrive at lunchtime and come home in the evening. I booked a four-night stay and waited for the adventure to begin. The journey north went smoothly and I had lunch in a graveyard just off Union Street before setting out on a circular city walk. I had done a couple of day trips to the Granite City before and was reasonably familiar with the main thoroughfare. I hadn't quite expected to see so many empty retail units however. Especially as Aberdeen had long enjoyed a reputation as a fairly affluent place. One plus point was the total renovation of the city gardens, although it did mean they were out of bounds for the duration of my stay.

The unmistakable grey edifice of granite is everywhere in Aberdeen. One of the finest examples in the city centre is the former Greyfriar's Church. It was built in Gothic style as recently as 1903 but ceased functioning as a kirk in 2004. Attempts to sell the building proved frustrating but recent reports suggest it is destined to be converted into a bar and restaurant. Whether that actually happens in the post-Covid landscape remains to be seen. The church is currently listed on the Buildings at Risk Register although - thankfully - at a very low level of concern. One to watch with interest. I passed by the Mercat Cross and picked up King Street which would lead me towards the university quarter - situated in old Aberdeen. Students were wandering around in graduation gowns outside the impressive King's College which added to the academic atmosphere. The university was founded way back in 1495 and is one of the four ancient Scottish institutions, the others being Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews. Strolling around the cobbled streets was a nice experience and I passed the original Mercat Cross and Town House. I was carrying my backpack but travelling fairly light and wasn't impeded in this respect. I took a break by wandering into the Cruickshank Botanic Garden - maintained by the university but open to the public free of charge. Colourful flowers and shrubbery abounded and I sat on a bench for a while before moving on. My next stop was St Machar's Cathedral where I explored the grounds. Just outside the gates was an excellent viewpoint which looked upon the manicured gardens of Seaton Park. Open to all since 1947, the park skirts the River Don and is a popular meeting place for students. I checked out the ornamental fountain and joined a path alongside the Don. The plan was to head towards the estuary then saunter along the promenade, back towards the city centre. Aberdeen is of course sandwiched between the Don and Dee rivers and I intended to explore the latter on my final day. I observed a water rescue team going through a training process as I followed the undulating trail along the bank and through the woods.

I eventually reached the esplanade and took a hike up the sand dunes for views of the North Sea coastline. The skies turned grey but it remained dry as I walked on the tarmac alongside the beach. I could see a funfair in the distance and I wanted to have a look at the fabled Beach Ballroom. Apparently it contains one of the finest sprung dancefloors in Scotland and is now Category-B listed. Corporate and leisure events take place here but the place was closed as I walked past. Nice to see the exterior though. I zig-zagged my way back to Union Street and went in search of my accommodation. It was just a 5-minute walk away and close to the old Post Office building - a mighty granite (what else?) construction now largely vacant and looking rather forlorn. The guest house was a simple affair and a young chap answered the door and showed me to my room. The furnishings were tired but serviceable. It was cheap and would do just nicely. The bathroom along the corridor was in excellent condition and looked to have been recently installed. Perfect! A large Co-op was situated nearby and I fetched some supplies before settling in for the night. The weather forecast for the whole week was excellent and I had packed shorts & t-shirts as my walking gear. I retrieved my breakfast rolls from the fridge and washed them down with a hearty mug of herbal tea. I set off for the railway station which was only a 10-minute walk away. The journey to the satellite town of Dyce cost just £2.80 and took eight minutes on a mostly empty train. Aberdeen Airport is located in Dyce and the train deposited me within sight of the runway. All was spookily quiet in these pandemic times and I found the start of the Formartine & Buchan Way at the end of the station car-park. It was here the line to Fraserburgh diverged from the trunk Inverness route. Passenger services were discontinued in 1965 although freight traffic ran until 1979. Thereafter, the entire route was converted into a walking and cycling path, including the 14 mile branch from Maud to Peterhead which closed in 1970. I had decided to omit the latter railway line from my schedule in order to concentrate on a linear walk. Today was cool with a slight breeze and I set off along a tarmac path. After a mile or so, the slick surface gave way to gravel and was often stony in places. My size-11 walking boots of course tramped on regardless but it did occur to me that a sturdy mountain bike would be the best bet for cyclists. I had 13 miles ahead of me and it was just leaving 9am. A leisurely pace - with stops factored in for refreshments, photos and rest breaks - would allow me reach Ellon by mid-afternoon. Dyce was surrounded by a modern road network and industrial units but I soon escaped into the rolling Aberdeenshire countryside. This is real farming territory and the first settlement of note was Newmachar - where refreshments are available. The path loops around the village and I kept going as I'd already packed my provisions for the day.

The railway was heavily dependant upon fish traffic, bringing the catches from the major ports of Fraserburgh and Peterhead (known locally as the Broch and the Blue Toon respectively) to the national market. My dad remembers the fish train from Peterhead rattling through Fife. I passed through a deep cutting where I'm sure I saw a fox peeking out from the undergrowth. Generally the terrain was a shallow embankment running through undulating fields. I encountered the occasional minor road and the whole area was obviously sparsely populated. The trackbed itself was also quiet and most of the time I had the trail to myself. A yellowhammer sat up nicely on a fencepost, allowing me to take several nice photographs. I had already planned to have lunch at the site of Udny Station and the setting did not disappoint. The old platform (as shown on the first picture in this post) was in immaculate condition and the perfect place to pause for half an hour. Udny Station is also the name of the small surrounding village and I can only assume it came into being as a result of building the railway. In a strange twist of fate, the line closed forever just as the Aberdeen oil boom was waiting in the wings. The quiet rural scene at Udny today might have turned out differently. I ate my sandwiches and rehydrated myself before pushing on with the final five miles to Ellon. The weather was still cool but a big rise in temperature was forecast for the following two days. I passed Logierieve Station where a private house now stands upon the old platform. I wondered if those properties could be picked up for a song back in the day, when British Rail must have been keen to divest itself of redundant assets. I should imagine it's not cheap nowadays to buy yourself an old station. As I approached Ellon, the route reverted to tarmac and I was obviously now well within local dog-walking territory. A fine viaduct took me across the River Ythan, apparently the biggest estuary in the land that has remained in its natural state rather than being artificially channelled and deepened. Fine views of the Ythan Valley could be obtained from the parapet and from here it was around three quarters of a mile into the centre of Ellon. With a population of 10,000 and a relatively isolated location, Ellon offered many facilities and I grabbed myself a drink and sat by the river. A bus back to Aberdeen was due in half an hour and I scribbled out a couple of postcards. I bought myself a period return ticket as I would be travelling back the next day. A comfortable coach arrived and I settled into my seat for the hour-long trip to the Granite City. The bus station at Aberdeen is incorporated into a shopping centre (with plenty of places to eat) and the railway station is on the other side of the same complex. This makes it easy to change between the two modes of transport. I had a monster trek ahead of me the next day so I wandered back to my room to relax. Andy Murray was playing at Wimbledon and I batted every ball as I watched on my iPad.

Next morning it was back up to Ellon for a 9pm start to my walk. Prior to this week's visit, the only thing I knew about the town was that footballer Gary Riddell - a promising strapping central defender whom I used to watch play for Dunfermline - was from, and indeed born, here. He died at the shockingly young age of 22 while running in the Dunfermline half marathon to raise funds for charity. Strange how people can go like that despite an obvious high level of fitness. Once out of town, it was the familiar arable landscape with occasional stone bridges hoisting farm tracks or minor roads above the line. A wooded stretch made a pleasant change and I observed great tits from close quarters (no sniggers at the back please). Every so often, I would pass an old workers hut at the side of the line. They were mostly in good condition despite the fact they probably hadn't been maintained in decades. After 7 miles I arrived in Auchnagatt and spotted a picnic table in a small park by the main road. I was just a stone's throw from the old station with lengthy platform still intact. A most pleasant spot for lunch and I was bang on schedule time wise. I knew if I maintained a steady pace I would be in my final destination of Strichen with around an hour to spare before the bus was due. There was actually a later connection two and a half hours down the line but obviously I didn't want to be hanging around for that. Motivation enough not to dawdle too often. A long straight section paralleled the road for a while and there were many birds tweeting in the hedgerows. A few old level crossings for farm access were still in evidence. I then swung away into quiet countryside and the pivotal point of Maud Junction was around four miles distant. Railway walking is obviously fairly flat but as you clock up the miles, you really do appreciate a lengthy section where the gradient is in your favour. Towns and villages usually grew around rivers and since water flows through a valley, the approach tends to run downhill. Naturally this means a slight rise on the other side as you push back into open country - although I suppose the gradient would continue to drop if the line stuck to the river. Anyway, I could feel myself heading downhill as I got closer to Maud and I knew I could rest there. That was good enough for me. I was certain my curiosity as a railway historian would be satisfied as I'd heard the infrastructure at Maud was largely intact.

As previously stated, I would be ignoring the branch from Maud to Peterhead on this expedition. It is classed as part of the Formartine & Buchan Way but this stage would have to wait until a later date. I will definitely keep this promise as I've long fancied a look around Peterhead Prison Museum. The former maximum security Victorian facility closed in 2013 and was notorious for housing serious sex offenders. The new HMP Grampian (also in Peterhead) replaced the old jail, along with the the medium security prison in Aberdeen. The new museum highlights the work of the personnel that served at Peterhead during the prison's 125-year existence. As stated on the website - "you will visually see what real prison life was like, whilst listening to the officers speak of their experiences as part of the audio tour that accompanies your visit and your sense of smell will be stimulated as you enter the laundry, shower block and hospital areas."

Sounds right up my street! A couple of days up in the Blue Toon would allow me to do the museum and the railway walk. Perhaps a saunter down the coast as well. One for the diary. Back at Maud, the old junction was coming into view and the trackbed split to serve two long platforms with an island in the middle where the station buildings stood. Unfortunately everything was locked up today (Wednesday). The museum has limited weekend opening times but in any case may well have been shut due to pandemic restrictions had I dropped by on a Saturday or Sunday. A couple of old wagons and brake vans stood on a section of track and I had a good wander around the place before finding a bench to take the weight off my feet. The museum web pages don't appear to have been updated since 2016 and communication has migrated to Facebook - a fairly common occurrence. It's quicker and easier to maintain a Social Media presence as opposed to a fully-fledged website and there is a wealth of material to flick through on the Maud Museum timeline. However, I still feel it's important to put the latest key information on the traditional web (e.g. future opening dates and times, admission prices, planned events). That way you convey essential visitor information in a fixed location while the latest photos und gossip can be fired on to a more interactive platform. It was nice to experience the ambience of a real station footprint with the various buildings, lighting, exits and signage. Definitely the highlight of the walk from a railway enthusiast's point of view. Maud village seemed a bustling little place with a few shops and a café. I made sure I was on the path bound for Strichen and not Peterhead! (I'm sure someone must have made that mistake before). The sun was beating down now and I readied myself for the final five and a half miles. No rest for the wicked!

Once away from Maud I entered open terrain and I paused on the parapet of a footbridge after a couple of miles. I re-applied sun cream, especially to the back of my neck and my forehead. I don't burn too easily but I wasn't taking any chances. For some reason I decided to watch the closing stages of the 1973 Grand National during my break. Regardless of whether you have any interest in the finer points of horse racing, it's surely one of the greatest ever sporting finishes as the highly-fancied Crisp, out in front by a comfortable distance following the final jump (but increasingly labouring under an onerous handicap weight), is gradually overhauled by Red Rum during the 450-yard run-in which features a stamina-sapping uphill kink known as the elbow. Red Rum of course went on to become one of the most famous racehorses of all time, certainly over jumps. He won the event an unprecedented three times (and twice came second). An incredible victory, but what really puts the icing on the cake while watching the BBC footage of Rummy's maiden National success is the commentary of Sir Peter O'Sullevan. The word "legend" is often tossed around with impunity these days but I don't think it even covers the whole of old Peter's career. The national broadcaster's leading horse racing commentator for half a century, Peter called home an incredible 50 Grand National winners. The race itself traditionally has a few commentators swapping the mike at various points of the race but of course Peter was always in position for the final leg. Sports commentary is one of these professions we probably all imagine we can have a go at. Yet to reach the pinnacle and generate huge levels of excitement, enormous skill is required. The only other exponent that comes close to Peter in my opinion is the voice of Formula One racing, Murray Walker, who sadly died recently (both men coincidentally passed away at the age of 97). Meticulous planners, they spent hours swotting up on the stats and colours to ensure they got it right on the day (Murray didn't always achieve this, but it merely fed into his charm). I wonder if it's significant that both began on the radio? I digress (and cheekily fill up some space between pictures on the blog). There are no settlements along the path until Strichen and it was a case of ploughing on across a quiet landscape as the legs began to weary. The start of a long slow descent indicated the end of the road wasn't too far away and I watched a bullfinch hop around in a shallow cutting. I spotted what looked like an old ruined house in the distance but there was no time (or energy) available for any urbex activities today. I reached Strichen town centre about 45 minutes before my bus was due and bought myself a snack and a drink to consume in view of the castellated village town hall.

A double decker Stagecoach Express arrived and I relaxed in the luxurious leather seats upstairs for the journey back to Aberdeen. I must admit the buses do a good job of transporting people around Aberdeenshire and the service seems frequent and comprehensive. I'm sure I've heard of proposals to reopen the railways to Peterhead and Fraserburgh but you have to ask yourself whether the county has a sufficient population density to make passenger services viable, bearing in mind the huge investment required to rebuild the route to modern standards. You can't base these calculations on seasonal holiday traffic or occasional events like international golf tournaments. Heritage railways abound across the UK - often in the rural shires. Yet virtually none have ever managed to establish a reliable service outside the peak summer months. Bear in mind this is an organisation where the workers donate their labour for free. Hard-nosed analysis is required. There's also the sheer size of the county to consider, with Aberdeen City being the only major centre of population. Perhaps the inclusion of freight strengthens the argument for one or two key routes to be re-established. But we're never going back to the days of a rural county being criss-crossed by lots of railway lines. The present solution may well be the best. Bring people by rail to Aberdeen, then let comfortable buses roam at will. I arrived in the city centre and decided to have a wander around the harbour - a short stroll from the bus station - before turning in for the evening. Huge industrial craft was docked at the port but the public have to view from behind the perimeter fence. The main business is handling equipment for the offshore oil and gas operations. On the final day of my trail, I arrived in Strichen at around 10am on a sunny morning. The walk began with a very pleasant stretch alongside the North Ugie Water. I had been intrigued about the white horse on the village crest and I soon caught sight of the equine god on a hillside to the north of Strichen. Laid out in quartz stones, it is said to have been placed here to commemorate an incident during the Battle of Tourcoing in 1794, part of the Flanders Campaign. Captain Fraser - 9th Laird of Strichen - had his horse killed underneath him during the retreat. A sergeant by the name of Henderson offered to give Captain Fraser his horse, but was himself killed in the process. On returning to Strichen, the Laird built the white horse as a memorial to the fallen soldier who offered his assistance. I was soon back in open countryside and glad that I only had 10 miles ahead of me today. The cumulative effects of several days walking were niggling away at my legs. After a pleasant lunch stop, I took photos of the wild flowers that adorned the edges of the line. I also passed a colony of black-headed gulls next to a pond and watched their young strutting about.

Finally I saw the outline of The Broch upon the horizon. The final long straight stretch took me past Fraserburgh Golf Course and towards the sand dunes on the edge of town. It was my first time in the place that bore name. Curiously, my dad has never been here either, one of the few corners of Scotland he hasn't visited. Family research suggests my ancestors came from Banffshire and Inverness-shire to the east. But the Broch is definitely Fraser home turf. No doubt about that! I hiked up the dunes for a fantastic view of the bay, beach and Harbour Lighthouse (dating from 1882). I found a nice little sand cavity to sink into before the march into the town centre. Families were enjoying the sunny weather on the beach. The Broch is Scotland's biggest shellfish port and large quantities of whitefish are also landed. The commercial harbour area emitted the sounds and smells you'd expect to find in a busy fishing port and I cut up a side street to make my way to the town centre. A traditional bakery furnished me with a couple of pies and I sat down to bask in the glory of completing a 40-mile trail. The High Street had obviously seen better days but that's now normality in small-town Scotland. I picked up a couple of postcards depicting the famous Kinnaird Head Lighthouse, constructed in 1787 inside a converted castle and now part of the award-winning Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. I wasn't sure if the museum was open but - in any case - I was too exhausted to go traipsing round a tourist attraction. My mission was complete and I sought out the bus station and headed back to the Granite City with a smile upon my face. I bought food to take out and enjoyed dinner in the square at the end of Union Street, finalising my plans for the last day. I wasn't due to depart until 7pm and I fancied walking the the first section of the Royal Deeside Way from the city to the village of Peterculter. This 7-mile wander would be along converted trackbed and it would be a nice way to round off my railway-themed walking tour. In for a penny, in for a pound. I would be carrying full kit but I'd already done the circular tour of Aberdeen without that being an issue. I said goodbye to my guest house and navigated my way to the start point in Duthie Park. The Deeside Railway ran inland to Ballater, just over 40 miles away. It provided a Royal connection to Balmoral Castle but most of the route closed in 1966, with the stub to Peterculter disappearing the following year. The walking route has a tarmac surface all the way to the old station at Peterculter (often shortened to Culter) and is heavily used by local people at the city end.

Several suburban stations served the Aberdonian population and the first one I came across was Holburn - with concrete platform still in evidence. This halt closed as far back as 1937, no doubt due to competition from buses or trams. The substantial bridge spanning the streets below was demolished in 1981 which could have a been a barrier to bringing the walkway right into the city centre. Thankfully a new pedestrian bridge was erected and I passed high above the cars below. An information board was located upon the site of each old station which was a nice touch. It's always good to learn about the the communities that surrounded the railway. In the case of Cults, a sleepy outlying settlement grew rapidly as a result of a 12-minute ride into the city on the "Subbie" line. Cults Station survived until the end of the route's operation and the old wooden building is now used by a local business. I was gaining height all the way and by the time I reached the city limits I could look down upon the River Dee in the valley. A short detour from the trackbed was required to cross the A90 dual carriageway which has severed the old course of the line. A slender footbridge carried me over the trunk road and I rejoined the embankment on the other side. It was plain sailing from here into Culter. The village once had a large paper mill and the railway served this concern. The passenger station was the only one besides Cults to survive the 1937 cull on the eastern end of the line. I was welcomed by the original name board (or at least a very good facsimile) and I planted myself upon the platform edge to enjoy I meal deal I had fetched from the nearby Co-op. I had made good time and decided to walk back to Aberdeen rather jump on a bus. To vary my route, I wandered down to the banks of the Dee and hooked back up the old railway further downstream. I passed the Culter Heritage Centre but was once again stymied by the double whammy of weekend opening hours and Covid. I enjoyed the river stroll and had the advantage of a downhill gradient on the railway all the back to Aberdeen. 14 miles in total did begin to take it's toll and I made use of a few bench seats on the return leg. I jumped off the line again at Allan Park in search of an old crossing of the Dee. Erected in 1837, the Shakkin' Briggie linked a church on the south side of the river to 700 parishioners resident on the north bank, who were at the time crossing by boat to worship every Sunday. The lack of any significant metal stiffening of the bridge deck led to a flexibility which gave the bridge its popular name. Due to erosion, the Dee shifted its course from 1955 onwards, sweeping away the southern approach spans and in 1984 the decking was removed as a safety precaution. The bridge is a Category B listed structure and is now derelict.

At present, it is unclear if any body has legal responsibility for the bridge. A newspaper headline in 1958 stated that it was The Bridge That Nobody Owns. Although its legal status remains unclear, the City Council is currently active in considering the bridge's future. An interesting tale and a little bit of urbex squeezed into my trip. I made the steep slog back up to the railway and continued back towards the city centre. My rucksack seemed to grow increasingly heavy and I decided that I would do nothing more than sit around once I reached the shopping centre next to the bus station. First stop was Burger King, where I managed to find a seat in the strictly socially distanced interior and slowly savoured a Whopper meal. As if by magic, my strength gradually began to return! Just upstairs was a large Starbucks and I ordered myself a large mocha and settled down with my iPad to wait out the time before my bus rolled in. Strangely, I've never been one for frequenting coffee shops, despite the fact the concept of burrowing your nose in a book in the corner appeals to me greatly. Now that Wetherspoons business practices during the pandemic have been exposed, perhaps I'll seek out a caffeine boost after future treks as opposed to a quiet pint. I was down in the bus queue with plenty of time to spare but needn't have hurried. An accident further south on the A90 had caused delays which meant my coach arrived almost an hour behind schedule. To their credit, Megabus were making efforts to shoehorn passengers on to alternative connections but I was in no real rush and was happy to wait. A leisurely journey homewards ensued and I plugged myself into a couple of podcasts. Nicole picked me up at the Halbeath Park & Ride and I finally relaxed at home. My first multi-day walking expedition under my belt. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and must plan another one.