This almost level walk includes a lovely beach section followed by rocky shoreline renowned for its seabirds and seals and then a visit to Whitehills before looping back to rejoin the outward route.
Bog Factor
Tracks, minor roads and beach.
Banff Harbour car park.
Banff is served by regular buses on Inverness - Aberdeen route.
NJ688647
The harbour car park, near the north pier in Banff, is signed from the main street, turn left off the A98 if approaching Banff from the east. From here head west along the sea wall away from the harbour. Soon the row of cottages at Scotstown come into view and the rocks known as the Babes can be seen at low tides. Continue along the seafront towards the beach at Boyndie Bay.
When a parking area is reached concrete stairs lead down onto the sands; if the tide is very high you might need to continue through the campsite instead. The blue-roofed pavilions hark back to a bye-gone age when Banff was a popular resort and wealthy town in itself.
At the far end of the campsite come up off the beach and cross the end of the campsite to cross a footbridge over a stream. Turn right after the bridge to follow a track along the shore. The next section of shoreline is rocky and can be a good place to spot seabirds and sometimes seals. Pass through a barrier to reach a parking area; rthe Red Well can be seen just up the hill (this is visited on the return route), but our route turns right to continue along the lane beside the shore.
The road soon reaches a caravan park and follows the shore side of it and passes the old harbour at Blackpots, adjacent to a large playground. Once the site of a brick and tile works, drainage pipes, bricks and roofing tiles were produced from the distinctive red clay from 1766 to 1974 when the works closed and the caravan park opened on the same spot. Today pieces of red brick can often be found on the beaches along the coast. Follow the road around Knock Head.
The harbour at Whitehills is soon reached, now housing a modern marina but once home to a busy fishing fleet. There's a cafe / fish restaurant here. Continue along the road as it begins to head uphill; note Downies fish factory and shop off to the right. Ignore the first left turning (Knock Road) and instead take the second left (Loch Street), passing the public toilets, a shop and cafe.
Follow the road past the houses on the left. Leave the village, and turn left down the small road just before the end of the speed limit sign. Soon the road reaches the Red Well, a Roman building housing a well said to contain healing properties. At the bottom of the road turn right to retrace your steps along the track and beach back to the harbour at Banff.
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