Portsoy - Findlater Castle Circular (with option to extend to Cullen)

Distance	Approximate Time	Height Gain	OS Map
10 kms	240-300	80 metres	OS Map Explorer 425

Description

From The Square walk west along Cullen Street. Pass turreted house on corner of Barbank Street. Continue onto Park Crescent and take second road on right signposted Campbell Hospital. Follow road round to the left past the hospital on the right and up hill past Arnbath Farm and Croft, North Arnbath and Lanntair. At Redhythe Farm carry on to track straight ahead.

Cross a narrow cattle grid and carry straight on for about 50m where the path forks. Take left fork heading in the direction of Sandend Beach. Glenglassaugh Distillery is on the left. Whisky has not been produced here since 1982 but the bonding warehouses are still in use for maturing the whisky.

Pass through the 'kissing gate' and down steps to the beach. Walk towards Sandend where there is a burn which can be crossed, depending on water level, and carry on to Car Park, or go left and walk along side of the burn to a small bridge, turn right, skirting round edge of the Caravan Park (with shop) and rejoin path to the Car Park.

Take road straight ahead of entrance to Car Park and follow signs for Findlater Castle (1.25 miles) turning right after 0.75 miles and pass through Car Park for the Castle on to track with Doo?cot on the left which you can visit and has an information panel. At the viewpoint for Findlater Castle there are two options - take path to the left to Sunnyside Beach (0.5 miles) and carry on along the coastal path to Cullen (1.75 miles) or take the narrow coastal path heading east back towards Sandend. Care is required on some stretches and the path can become quite overgrown. Follow arrow signs until Sandend comes in to view. Sandend harbour is one of the smallest in the north-east and the tiny fisher cottages form an intriguing clutter of houses in the old part of the village.

Continue to follow the path in front of a new house, cross over a stile and onto the drive for the house. Turn left down the driveway and right onto the road heading back to the Car Park and the beach path.

Cross bridge from Caravan Park to beach and either walk back along the beach or follow the dune path and rejoin the beach just before the next burn/stream. Climb back up the steps at the end of the beach, through the 'kissing gate' and back to the cattle grid. Just before the grid turn left and follow the path by the fence with a field on the right. At the corner of the field follow the 'coastal path' sign pointing right. Once through a thick gorse patch and into a clearing with grass and heather, the path forks. The left fork goes to the cliff edge, with sea birds galore, and rejoins the right fork path a little later. The right-hand path stays clear of the cliffs but on a clear day it offers a good view of the Troup Head cliffs in the distance with the tiny hamlet of Crovie nestled at the base.

Continue on path to T-junction, turn left on to track and pass a long, low, white-painted cottage. Where the track meets the tarred road continue straight on with sea on the left and onto the path past the Portsoy open-air swimming pool. After 100m the path will join another road but keep to the left and follow a grassy path round the headland where the locally named 'Doonie' with the unusual ruin comes into view and the two harbours of Portsoy - one built in the 17th Century and the ?new? one in the 18th Century. Continue on the tarred path with the harbour below on the left. Walk between the houses, down a few steps, and left on to North High Street. The 'old' harbour is directly ahead with the Portsoy Marble Shop and Workshop to the left.

To return to The Square go back up the steep narrow North High Street with old traditional cottages on either side.