Elrick Hill and Tyrebagger Sculptures

This excellent short walk combines a forest trail, bedecked by modern art installations, with a visit to the more open and natural landscape of Elrick Hill.

Terrain

Clear paths; rough in places with some potentially muddy patches.

Public Transport

The Aberdeen - Inverurie bus stops where the road leaves the A96.

Start

Tyrebagger Sculptures car park. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

Users' reports

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 4.25km / 2.75 miles
Time: 1 - 1.5 hours
Ascent: 128m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NJ851111

Maps, App and GPS

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Accommodation

Walk Description

Stage 1

Take the B979 road off the A96 - signed for Tyrebagger Sculpture. This description assumes you use the first of the two car parks signed on the left. Begin the walk along the path which begins beside the information board that has a map of the marked trails; our route primarily follows the yellow trail but with an optional detour to take in the top of Elrick Hill. When the path reaches a clear fork keep left (the right hand branch, which is waymarked, leads down into the second car park and back out again through a gate. If you keep on the left path you soon reach the trail above the gate; follow this to the left. When it forks at a sculpture, take the right branch.

Stage 2

Look out for a path on the right that heads into a particularly dense and gloomy bit of the plantation. It crosses a double bridge with a bench - actually one of the sculptures and made by Simon Beeson. The trail surface soon improves as the route climbs clear of the trees and passes a copse. Keep left on the main trail at a marked junction, but at a second junction turn right onto a rougher path - there is a yellow marker in both cases. A picnic bench is reached by some mature trees with good views up towards Deeside. The path now leads past one of the more obvious sculptures, Sky Lines by Vong Phaophanit which consists of a row of larch tree trunks through which the wind whistles.

Stage 3

This part of the walk leads through an attractive landscape of heather dotted with rowans and birches. At a fork it matters not which option is taken as the two routes rejoin. The next sculpture is just off to the left. Titled Modern Nature, it has six aluminium posts with solar panels which originally powered the sound of a capercaillie as a walker approached (though this no longer functions). Continue to a cross-paths just past a picnic bench.

Stage 4

At this point the yellow route continues ahead, whilst the path to the right leads down to the minor road between Elrick Hill and Brimmond Hill (which can be reached this way). Before continuing on the yellow route, however, the summit of Elrick can quickly be reached by a short detour to the left. The top is wooded which restricts the views a little but there are several benches. Head back to the main trail and continue on the yellow route.

Stage 5

The path now heads round the eastern flank of the hill. After 500m it reaches a marker post; bear right here and then ahead to gain the made-up path, following this to the right. It crosses a footbridge over a burn - turn left on the far bank to head down through the woods. Keep straight ahead at a signposted junction (towards Tyrebagger), but then turn right at the next fork (though a Tyrebagger sign points left). Look out for the mirror sculpture in the trees over to the left. Finally keep left at another fork and follow the path back to the car park - the observant will spot some more sculptures over to the left along the way.

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