Arnold Clark is proud to support the Kiltwalk 2016. If you’re taking part in the Aberdeen Kiltwalk you’ll see our Roadies on the route with a few surprises.
Scotland’s third most populous city is expecting around 1500 Kiltwalkers on 5th June. There are three different ability levels; the Wee Wander (8 miles), Big Stroll (15.5 miles) and Mighty Stride (26 miles), with the Wee Wander being slightly longer in Aberdeen than in any of the other walks.
The Kiltwalk in Aberdeen offers one of the most picturesque routes, and follows the River Dee to Potarch with beautiful scenery to enjoy on the way, whichever walk you have chosen to attempt.
The route runs along Deeside Way, formerly The Deeside Railway. The tracks, which have since been removed, were once used as part of the Great North of Scotland Railway.
Duthie Park
Located in the city centre, the 44-acre park opened in 1881 after it was gifted to the council by Lady Elizabeth Duthie of Ruthrieston.
The David Welch Winter Gardens opened in 1899 and were rebuilt after storm damage in 1969. The glasshouse is home to exotic and tropical plants, including one of the largest cacti collections in Britain..
Ingarth Reservoir
Built in the 1980s it is used for sailing and to supply drinking water. The first pit stop on the route, at 3.4 miles into it, is shortly after the reservoir on West Cults Road.
Bieldside, Milltimber and Drumoak
The route continues through the suburbs of Bieldside, Milltimber and Drumoak. There are elements of the old railway structure still in place that you will pass on the Mighty Stride, such as the old stations located at Pitfodels, Cults and Bieldside.
You will pass the ruins of an eleventh century church at Dalmaik and St Maik’s Well, which is covered by a concrete slab and surrounded by a low stone wall.
The third pit stop is located at the Drumoak playing fields, this is also where the Big Stroll walkers join the route.
Crathes
Crathes, a small rural community, is known for its 16th century castle, owned and run by the National Trust for Scotland.
Milton Park, Crathes is where the next pit stop is located.
Past Crathes you will find the route varies, and from footpath to private road there is a historic old stone pack bridge available to walkers.
After the pack bridge the path follows on to Milton of Crathes towards the outskirts of Banchory and the King George V Park, where you’ll find another pit stop on the route and the joining point of the Wee Wander walkers.
The watchtower in Banchory St Ternan Cemetery is visible from the path, a piece of history that has recently been restored. The watchtower was built to prevent the theft of bodies from the cemetery. So-called body snatchers stole the bodies to use for medical science.
Banchory
Settlements in Banchory date back to Mesolithic times, the settlement of Banchory (or Banchory-Ternan as it once was known) expanded in the fifth to sixth century AD.
The Kiltwalk route crosses the river Dee over the Bridge of Dye after Banchory and follows the banks of the River Dee through to Blackhall. The route is reasonably hilly, which provides some fantastic views of the surrounding area.
The route crosses the Burn of Kettock and then the Burn of Angels before joining Old Military Road heading to Potarch.
You’ll finish up at Potarch Green, which was once the site of an old market and fair and is the finishing point of the Aberdeen Kiltwalk. You’ll find the Kiltwalk village here, where you can celebrate your achievement of taking big steps for little people.