Pressendye is a great viewpoint and makes a good destination for this waymarked circuit from Tarland which also takes in some of the varied farm and woodland in the area.
Minor roads, tracks, hill path - waymarked, fairly gentle climbing to exposed summit.
Regular buses on Aberdeen - Ballater route
Read reports by: ChrisW
Write your report
- there's £90 to win at Webtogs each month
Tarland, square. Map and directions.
Start from the wide centre of Tarland where there are a number of shops and pleasant stone buildings. There is also a board with map and information about the local walking routes. This route follows the blue waymarkers in a clockwise direction, with the uphill road walking section first - it can easily be reversed if you prefer the road at the end. Start by heading west through the square away from the B9119, keep the war memorial to your left, pass the post office and follow the road as it curves slightly right. Keep straight ahead ignoring the road to the left (at the garage) until you reach the next junction. Here go straight ahead across the grass onto a track. This leads into a wetland area; keep left at a fork and then left on the path through this area until it re-emerges on the minor road. Here you turn right to head into open countryside.
Follow the road north west keeping right when the road branches to Knockieside on the left, similarly ignore the turnings on the right and keep right again when the road forks. Heading gently uphill, pass the turn for Winds'ee on the right and after passing the entrance to West Davoch on the left, the road bends right to Easter Davoch. Leave the surfaced road here to go straight ahead up a track signed for Boultenstone. Follow the track uphill going through a gateway and alongside fir trees.
Look out for the blue waymarker indicating a right turn alongside a fenced felled area. Go through the gate and alongside the fence heading towards Davoch Plantation with Broom Hill in the background. When the forestry is reached bear left through a small gate and follow the path through the trees, continuing straight ahead after the end of the fence, and then turning right part way up the next section to follow a path which soon emerges onto the open moorland.
Follow the faint track across the moor to the broad ridge where you turn right onto a clearer track where there are good views north. As the track climbs views open up in all directions and this really is a delightful section of the walk with easy going underfoot and Pressendye visible beyond the dip after Broom Hill. The route stays on the track, keeping close to the fence for most of the way, except for a brief period where it heads slightly south and then picks up another track which follows the fence to the summit of Pressendye, passing a tiny lochan on the way.
The summit is marked by a trig point and large shelter cairn and has great 360 degree views. From here take the waymarked track southeast, keeping right at the fork on the plateau before descending through heather and a few pine trees with great views of the countryside below. Keep right when a track joins from the left and then curve right to pass through forestry now following both blue and red markers. As the track bends left keep an eye out for the path on the right heading downhill, take this to follow a grassy track over heather. At a grassy junction bear left following the blue markers.
At a bigger track turn right and stay on this track bearing left downhill where a smaller track continues ahead at a stand of pines. After bending right watch out for an easily missed turn to the right onto a fainter track which climbs a small rise and then follows a route alongside mature beech trees with forestry on the left. Keep straight ahead following the waymarkers when another track is joined and soon take a narrow path on the right to head down through trees. When a metal gate is reached turn right over the stile to follow a lovely path between beeches eventually crossing a bridge over a burn. Once over the bridge turn left then immediately right leaving the red route to continue straight ahead. Soon the path reaches a minor road, turn left and keep left when the road forks and keep heading south back to the centre of Tarland.
Have you found an error or is any information wrong or missing? Please let us know by using the error report form.
Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is each walkers' responsibility to check it and navigate using a map and compass.
