Explore the surroundings of Huntly, passing the ancient castle, and walking along the riverbank before returning to the attractive town centre.
Pavements, narrow riverside path, good cycle paths.
Huntly is served by regular buses and trains.
Market Muir car park, Huntly.
Start from the Market Muir car park on the A97 road into Huntly. Begin the walk by heading along Gordon Street to reach the town's central square. Follow Castle Street out of the far end of the square, passing the Huntly Hotel and then the public toilets on the left. Go straight across at the next junction and follow The Avenue past the war memorial.
Pass through the gateway of the impressive original Gordon Schools building. Also known as the Simpson Building, it built for the town by the Duchess of Gordon gatehouse and at first housed four different schools in its four rooms. Follow the avenue of trees ahead, passing the Golf Course on the right and then playing fields with children's play area and parking. Huntly Castle can be seen ahead with the car park on the left under the trees.
Built as the seat of the Huntly Clan for five centuries, the castle is renowned for its impressive heraldic sculpture and inscribed stone friezes. The first castle to be built on the site gave refuge to Robert the Bruce in the 14th century. After 1800 the castle fell into ruin and was heavily plundered for stone by local builders. It is now owned by Historic Scotland and is well worth a visit. Follow the road to the left side of the castle and then double back left to cross the stone bridge, following the sign for the Nordic Outdoor Centre.
Bear right to head through the car park, going through the gate on the far side and following the surfaced path by the river. When the main path swings left away from the river, go straight ahead onto the narrower riverside path. Continue along this until a circular stone sculpture on the left - it's easier to switch up to the surfaced cycle path at this point, turning right to head along it.
The Deveron is one of the top five salmon fishing rivers in Scotland. It is sixty miles long and starts life in the Ladder Hills before joining the River Bogie just below Huntly Castle and eventually flowing into the Moray Firth between the twin towns of Banff and Macduff. Continue ahead at a cross-paths, with the river coming closer once more. Eventually follow the cyclepath as it curves left away from the river.
The path soon runs alongside a wooden fence, and then reaches a t-junction by a massive stone cemetery wall. Turn left along this. At the far corner of the cemetery keep straight ahead on a path that runs along the top of a steep bank. It almost emerges onto a road - but keep left on the path alongside. Keep straight ahead on a path when a road crosses the route. Continue ahead at further junctions, meeting a road opposite a postbox. Turn right here, then left to return to the square. Now turn right along Gordon Street to return to the Market Muir car park.
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