Footdee and Aberdeen harbour

Summary

Footdee (pronounced Fittie) is a small fishing village at the mouth of the Dee and Aberdeen harbour, long since swallowed up by the expansion of the city. The village dates back to medieval times but the fascinating present day cluster of cottages was laid out by influential Aberdeen architect John Brown to rehouse the cities fishermen in 1809. The walk to it passes the fringe of the busy modern harbour and returns via the city beach.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

3.5/5

Rating

Terrain

Roads / pavements.

Public Transport

Bus or train to Aberdeen city centre.

Start

Tourist Information Centre on Union Street (no parking - access by public transport). Open in Google Maps.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 4.75km / 3 miles
Time: 1.5 hours
Ascent: 19m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NJ943062

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Walk Description

User reports (1)

Stage 1

This walk is described from the tourist information office in Aberdeen city centre, on Union Street opposite the junction with Broad Street. Begin the walk by heading down Ship Row beside the tourist info; it is signed for the Maritime Museum and harbour. Keep right as it joins a cobbled road and then take the next left down Shore Brae to reach the busy traffic of Virginia Street. Go left to reach a pedestrian crossing and then take Regent Quay, with fine old merchant buildings on the left and the busy harbour industrial area on the right.

Stage 2

Aberdeen harbour is one of the busiest ports in Britain, handling 5 million tonnes of cargo annually. Continue the walk along the pavement with views of both the cargo ships and the ferries for Orkney and Shetland. The road becomes Waterloo Quay; continue ahead past several turnings until forced to turn left onto York Place. Shortly afterwards, turn right at the Neptune Bar. At the next t-junction turn left and then right onto New Pier Road, and follow this to the far end.

Stage 3

Turn left towards the Roundhouse, the building with a clock. It was a navigation control centre dating back to the end of the eighteenth century though it was altered in the 1840s and 1960s; it has now been replaced by the striking modern Marine Operations Centre a short distance beyond. Pass the Silver Darling - a well known seafood restaurant - to approach the Marine Operations building, and then turn left alongside it to cross a small park. Go left again to pass just to the left of the first of the stone-built houses of Footdee, and then turn right into the tiny street behind the houses.

Stage 4

Footdee - or the Fittie, as it is locally known - was once a medieval fishing village, but the present buildings date back to the early nineteenth century and were designed by town planners. This quaint cluster of cottages, facing inwards onto their yards and colourful sheds, is now an important conservation area and is fascinating to explore. Continue through Footdee to leave it at the far northern end. Here turn left almost back to the top of New Pier Road where you were earlier, but then turn right uphill to the public toilets.

Stage 5

The walk now continues along the promenade behind Aberdeen's sandy beach. Continue along the front until just after the Cordonas amusement park; here turn inland and follow the pavement along the left side of the dual carriageway 'beach boulevard'. When this reaches a large roundabout keep left and use the pedestrian crossing over Commerce Street, then take the next exit off the roundabout - Justice Street.

Stage 6

Justice Street leads back into the centre of the city, reaching Castlegate and the paved square and mercat cross at the east end of Union Street. The impressive building here is the Tolbooth which was once a prison but is now a museum. Continue along Union Street to return to the tourist information at the start of the walk.

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