This morning I caught the 10:15 Stagecoach bus and finally escaped Aberdeen for the day. Although slightly delayed due to two dozen or so German students trying to buy a group discount ticket, we headed westward up Royal Deeside under beautiful, clear sunny skies and arrived in Banchory just under an hour later.

After a few minutes getting my bearings I headed south, crossing the River Dee and then following it west until I reached the entrance to Scolty, a Forestry Commision area with some very well marked woodland paths. At this time the clear skies had been covered by some grey, rolling cloud, but as I started to climb up on a wide track, through marching rows of pines the sun yet again started to peek out. The colours of autumn were evident further on once I hit some of the less managed woodland.

The well made path soon turned and climbed steeply up Scolty hill, and the way became uneven and slippery with exposed rocks and roots ready to catch out a misplaced feet. Luckily the sun had come out and the views away north, west and east were spectacular, encompassing a great sweep of the Dee valley, and Banchory away behind me.

At the top of the hill, 396m high according to my map, I came to General Burnett’s momument, a tall round tower that commanded remarkable views over the rising foothills of the Caingorms. A narrow spiral staircase took me to the top and I spent a few minutes enjoying the sight and breathing in the bright, fresh air.

Back at the bottom I checked out some of the landmarks visible from this height, had a bite of lunch, before heading off over some of the heather-clad moorland which lead off south from the heights. Dropping off the hill I came into a shallow valley between Scolty and the next summit where a broad track took me back around the base of the hill and into the woods. I followed a different track now which took me through some beautiful beech forest, before climbing back up, following the course of a wee burn to the carpark.

On the way back to Banchory I stopped off at the river Feugh, where a narrow stonebridge, and an ugly metal footbridge, crossed high over the falls where at the right time of the year salmon can be seen jumping up the stream. Here again the autumn leaves were showing off their rich, ruddy colours and the falls were loud and swift.

I got back to Banchory just in time to catch the bus back to Aberdeen and reached home just as the sunset, the night falling disconcertingly early after British Summer Time had ended the morning before.

See more photos on Flickr.

Today under ominous clouds and high winds I decided to take a walk around the south side of Aberdeen harbour and down the coast back towards where I live in Nigg. This was a quite gentle walk, made more dramatic by the high seas and ferocious winds that were buffeting the clifftops and whipping up the spray.

After doing some quick shopping I started my walk at the harbour, walking along the south esplanade past some of the bigger docks where supply ships were being loaded ready for more trips out to the rigs. As the road climbed up to the lighthouse, I stuck to the shoreline and passed opposite the Marine Control tower and the various piers which were providing a nice perch for various cormorants and gulls. A small beach sheltered behind the southern breakwater which marked the end of the harbour and which the more energetic waves were managing to crest with a burst of white water.

I then climbed up onto the clifftops and skirted round past the lighthouse where a sad reminder of the dangers of the seas was to be found. At the north end of Nigg Bay I passed the huge foghorn which warns ships of the entrance to the harbour and then came round, back on the road where it was almost impossible to walk in a straight line due to the strength of the wind. Down on the shoreline various cars were pulled up and the occupants watched as wave after wave crashed against the shorefront.

Beyond the bay I tried to walk over Tullos Hill but, after crossing the railway line via an arch bridge I was confronted with a maze of high security fences which seemed to force me back to north and out of my way. Whilst retracing my steps to regain the coast I saw a fox dart off down the path and shortly after a young deer, springing through the coarse grass.

Back at the coast I picked up the Aberdeen coastal path as it continued south towards Cove. With the clouds growing ever darker and wind continuing to relent I left the path just past Doonie’s Rare Breeds Farm and made me way through the Tullos Industrial Estate to get back home just as the sun was setting.