Pressendye, Tarland

Pressendye is a great viewpoint and makes a good destination for this waymarked circuit from Tarland. The route is very varied, with fertile farmland, country roads and tracks, a moorland ridge and woodland paths; there are excellent views.

Terrain

Minor roads, tracks, hill path - mostly waymarked, fairly gentle climbing to exposed summit.

Public Transport

Regular buses on Aberdeen - Ballater route.

Start

Tarland, square. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

Users' reports

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 14.5km / 9 miles
Time: 3 - 4.5 hours
Ascent: 556m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NJ480043

Summits Climbed

Graham: Pressendye

Maps / GPS

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Walk Description

Stage 1

Start from the centre of Tarland where there are a number of shops and pleasant stone buildings. An info board has a map and information on local walking routes - this one is marked in blue, and is followed clockwise, tackling the road section first. Start by heading west through the square away from the B9119, passing to the right of the war memorial. Follow the road as it curves slightly right, then keep straight ahead ignoring the road to the left (at the garage) until you reach the next junction. Here go straight ahead across the grass between the two forks of the road, reaching a track. This leads into a wetland area; keep left at a fork, right through a gate and then left on the path through this area until it re-emerges on the minor road. Here you turn right to head into open countryside.

Stage 2

Follow the road north west keeping right when the road branches to Knockieside on the left, similarly ignore the turnings on the right and keep straight ahead at a junction (West Davoch sign) where the larger road veers left. Heading gently uphill, pass the entrance for Winds'ee on the right and after passing the entrance to West Davoch on the left, the road bends right to Easter Davoch. Leave the surfaced road here to go straight ahead up a track signed for Boultenstone. Follow the track uphill going through a gateway and alongside fir trees.

Stage 3

Look out for the blue waymarker indicating a right turn alongside a fenced felled area. Go through the gate and alongside the fence heading towards Davoch Plantation with Broom Hill in the background. When the forestry is reached bear left through a small gate and follow the grassy track/path through the trees, continuing straight ahead after the end of the fence and ignoring a track heading right. Part way up the next section turn right at a marker post to follow a path which soon emerges onto the open moorland going through gate in a deer fence.

Stage 4

Follow the faint track across the moor to the broad ridge where a large fence is reached. Turn right onto a track up the near side of this fence. As the track climbs views open up in all directions and this really is a delightful section of the walk with easy going underfoot and Pressendye visible beyond the dip after Broom Hill - though new plantations to the right will eventually impede the view. The route stays by the fence, passing a small lochan in the dip. After this - and near a gate - the path veers to the right a little, soon meeting another track; bear left up this to head back to the fence towards the summit. Just before reaching the top, pass through a gate and continue by a smaller, broken down old fence to the summit of Pressendye.

Stage 5

The summit is marked by a trig point and large shelter cairn and has great 360 degree views. From here take the waymarked track southeast, soon running alongside a fence, descending through heather and a few pine trees with great views of the countryside below. Keep left when a track joins from the right, then go right at the next fork. Ignore a path into the trees, keeping on the track as it curves right to pass through the edge of the forest plantations. Keep along the track; when there is a picnic bench on the right turn right onto a smaller track heading downhill.

Stage 6

Follow this as it leaves the trees and continues down through the heather. At a grassy junction keep straight ahead following the blue and red markers (ignoring the red waymarked path off to the right). At a bigger track turn right and stay on this track bearing left downhill where a smaller track continues ahead at a stand of pines. After bending right, watch out for an easily missed turn to the right onto a fainter track which climbs a small rise beside the electric pylons.

Stage 7

The track runs alongside mature beech trees with forestry on the left. At a grassy track, keep straight ahead onto a narrower path (slowly divering from the track on the right), following the waymarkers. Eventually take a narrow path on the right to head down through trees. When a metal gate is reached turn right over the stile to follow a lovely path lined by beech trees, eventually crossing a bridge over a burn. Once over the bridge continue straight ahead, ignoring the red route heading left. Soon the path reaches a minor road, turn left. When the road bends left keep straight ahead on a grassy track with a hall and new housing on the left. At the road turn right and then left, keeping ahead to head back to the centre of Tarland.

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