The Hill of Rowan is a low, heathery summit with a fine position, dividing upper Glen Esk from Glen Tarf. It is a prominent landmark due to the huge memorial on the summit, visible for miles around; a visit makes a very fine low moorland walk.
Hill tracks and paths across heathery moorland, then minor road
Very limited (school bus times only) bus from Brechin.
Tarfside car park, Glen Esk.
There is a public car park and toilets in Tarfside on the south side of the road. Begin the walk by heading out from the car park and left along the road in the direction of the head of the glen. Cross the road bridge over the foaming Water of Tarf and keep straight ahead onto a smaller road as the glen road turns left. Almost immediately the minor road turns right; again go straight ahead here, now onto a grassy track and soon passing through a gate. The track climbs gently with good views back down Glen Esk and ahead to the conical monument on the Hill of Rowan.
The track continues across the gently undulating heather moorland, with a few scattered trees here and there. After a little over a kilometre it passes through a gap in a fence; continue for another 350 metres until a faint track goes off to the left across the heather up towards the summit of the Hill of Rowan. It can be a little wet in places but the summit is soon reached. The massive conical monument is topped with a quartzite cap and has a locked entrance and a small beehive chamber inside.
It is properly known as the Maule Monument and was built by the first Baron Panmure in 1866 to commemorate seven members of his family; it is also dedicated to Lord Panmure, Lady Christian Maule and Lady Ramsay Macdonald. The views both up and down Glen Esk are superb. Leave the monument following another faint vehicle track, heading west northwest at first. The track then descends towards Westbank with views both up Glen Mark and of the craggy summit of Craig Maskaldie up Glen Lee. At the bottom of the main descent the track meets another track, turn left here along a grassy 'green lane' between broken drystone walls.
The lane passes through a gap in a fence and continues gently down and around Rowan Hill through the heather. When it forks - in deep heather - keep left, passing through an area of stone-built grouse butts. The route becomes a path before eventually rejoinng a track; continue left along this to reach some beautiful birchwoods and then the road at a gate. Once on the glen road turn left and follow it back to Tarfside.
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