This short rural walk visits a stone memorial tower that is a prominent landmark and offers very extensive views over the surrounding countryside near Tarves, which itself is worth a visit.
Bog Factor
Waymarked paths, can be muddy.
Prop of Ythsie car park, off B999.
Nearest bus 300m from start at junction with B999.
NJ881307
To reach the car park head east and then south from Tarves on the B999. Take the turn on the left signed for Ythsie and the car park is on the left side after a short distance. From the car park entrance take the track through trees and then between open fields. When a small area of trees is reached bear right onto a path through these - this section can be boggy. Soon the path swings right and heads uphill along the edge of a field.
Cross a farm track and continue uphill now on the left side of a stone wall with the square tower of the Prop of Ythsie (pronounced Icy) clearly in view. The path turns left and then right through a gate, then left again along the final section of path with another gate to reach the tower itself.
The Prop was built in 1861 from subscriptions raised by the tenants of the Haddo Estate to George Hamilton Gordon, the Fourth Earl of Aberdeen, and owner of Haddo House. He was a prominent statesman who became Prime Minister during the Crimean War and is also credited with persuading Queen Victoria to purchase the Balmoral Estate during a visit to Haddo.
The 92 spiral, stone steps of the tower can be climbed if you don't mind the dark and the increasing amounts of bird mess as you climb. There is a metal chain which is a great help. Once out on the square, castellated top, there are extensive views over the countryside, particularly to Tarves, which has a lovely village square surrounded by stone cottages and is worth a visit. The nearby Haddo House estate - now a Country Park with National Trust-run house can be seen.
To return retrace your steps back the way you came. When the farm track is reached that you crossed on the ascent, you can vary the route slightly by turning left to follow this track down to the road at the edge of the hamlet of Ythie, and then turn right to follow the road back to the start.
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