I'd had in mind an early morning visit to St John's Church and a walk from there to Gardenstown. Didn't quite make it for sunrise but still quite pleasant in the early morning. A beautiful spot with its views over Gamrie Bay to Gardenstown, Crovie and Troup Head beyond. It is also a solemn spot with its graveyard and, if the stories are true, quite a grim spot with the bodies of a Danish army (defeated in the battle of the bloody pits) buried on the hillside above and the skulls of three chiefs at one time built into the church walls...
I returned in the afternoon with my wife to do, instead, the WH walk from Gardenstown to St John's Church.




It's a narrow lane that leads to the car park for the southern approach to St John's Chuch but there's nothing more than grass rattling the exhaust. After that there's this pleasant walk along an avenue of bushes and trees.


Fine light over Gardenstown but I'm feeling disappointed at having missed the sunrise at St John's Church. Feeling ropey not conducive to getting out of bed early.


Not a soul on the beach, apart from the seabirds.


The mile and a half wide Gamrie Bay.




The path zig-zags away from the shore and towards the junction of Den of Afforsk and Den of Findon, the spot where the Danish invaders of 1004 were supposedly ambushed by the locals.


Bridges and boards cover the boggy ground and burn.


The lapping of the waves beckons me,,,


St John's Church perched above on the cliff.


Empy beach to the east.


The beach is bounded by some striking sandstone cliffs.




















Duck and ducklings surfing.














Later in the day I returned with my wife to walk to St John's Church from Gardenstown, a rather less tranquil experience with more folk on the beach and warm sunshine.






There's an information board relating the interesting, if not grim, story of the church.


Costa del Gardenstown.





We'd originally planned to continue to Crovie but it was way too hot for that.