This circular route explores the woods of Haughton Country Park and the banks of the River Don from the country town of Alford.
Pavement, tracks, woodland paths. Complex route in the second section of woodland.
Alford is served by local buses.
Car park in the centre of Alford (signed for the transport museum).
The walk begins from the centre of the Aberdeenshire town of Alford; there is a good size car park behind the main street (also the parking for the Transport Museum). To begin the walk, heading to the main street from the parking by taking the alley next to the Fish and Chip shop, then turn right along the road. The road forks either side of the war memorial - keep right here. then take the next turning on the right beside the church - signed for Montgarrie and for Haughton Country Park.
Continue along this road for 500m, eventually leaving Alford. Turn right onto a tarred track signed for Haughton Country Park and Caravan Park. This leads through the attractive woodland of the country park. Keep ahead at a car park, and again at a junction - signed for campsite reception. The lane eventually leads to Haughton House - which now is part of the campsite.
Turn left along the near side of the house, entering the caravan park through the gate. Follow the track round to the left until it reaches a junction with an old ice house on the left. Fork right here, and then go through the gate on the left side as the track approachs the river.
The walk now follows a broad path upstream beside the River Don. It passes a wooden outdoor gym; when the surfaced path curves left away from the river, continue ahead across the grass by the river bank.
Eventually a minor road is reached beside a bridge. Turn left along the road, following it for 350m, then turn right at a junction by a house (signed Roads Depot). The narrow road passes several houses; after the last house turn left onto an unmarked path into the woods. The next section through the woods has many similar paths and following the exact route may be difficult. Keep right at one faint fork and left at another (with an old wooden post). Ignore a path off to the right to head towards a clearing - the site of a curling pond. The pond is usually dry but can be filled with a sluice gate. Pass to the left of the pond to reach a track. Go straight across this.
Keep right at a fork, and continue when a path joins from the left. The path soon leads over a footbridge and up steps to reach a much larger path; turn right along this. It passes the Gordon Stane where the dying Lord Gordon was said to have been lain during the Battle of Alford in 1645. Ignore steps heading off left beside a bench, and instead take the next turning on the left - at the Hamewith Halt (the path to here was once part of the railway). The path soon leads to the main road into Alford; turn left along it to return to the start.
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