recommended route
SCO-006-Ythan Estuary and Forvie Sands Circular
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Photo: Alison Mackenzie, Community
Duration: 2 hours.
This is an easy walk with gentle little ups and downs over the distance. On the initial section there are great views of the Ythan Estuary, over to the attractive village of Newburgh and its golf-course, and of the farmland beyond. Near the start of the walk an open-air information point provides lots of interesting facts about the history of the area and the special environmental aspects. In addition to its wider scientific interest for flora and fauna, the Forvie National Nature Reserve is home to the largest colony of eider ducks in the UK and one of the largest UK populations of migratory Antarctic terns. A large grey seal community, up to 1,000 strong, also hauls up on the beaches of the Reserve. The next section of the walk crosses a wide grassy dunes area with imposingly high, ever-shifting sandy dunes to the south. The walk mid-section is over a long and wide (tide-dependent, for how wide!) golden sandy beach, making for the rocky headland of Rockend. On the return section, over grassy dunes, heath-land and farmland, the route diverts to the site of the ancient village of Forvie, overwhelmed by drifting sands in the 15th Century. The ruined walls of the 12th Century church remain. Here, the walker can reflect on whether the village was lost to a catastrophic storm in 1413, or the fabled curse of a local woman cheated out of her inheritance by her greedy uncle, a resident of the village.
Our website link: https://themackwalks.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/006-ythan-estuary-and-forvie-sands-circular-aberdeenshire/
See also: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshire/ythan-estuary.shtml
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(1) Start at Forvie National Natural Reserve car-park(57.33353; -1.99555) https://w3w.co/drawn.chipper.vealThe walk starts from the Forvie National Natural Reserve car-park, situated just off the A975 road on the right after crossing the bridge over the River Ythan just outside of Newburgh (on the way to Cruden Bay). From the car-park head for the Forvie Reserve information signs where the rough road leads you into the trees. Go down that road.
(2) Short detour to information point(57.33228; -1.99400) https://w3w.co/fizzy.full.wormsAfter just over 200 m, take a very short detour to your right to the open wooden building overlooking the estuary where there are a number of information boards about the Ythan Estuary, the village of Newburgh, and the Forvie sands Nature Reserve. When you are ready to move on, return to the rough road and continue walking south, with the estuary to your right. (228 m)
(3) Follow path left at Ternery restricted access point(57.31900; -1.98645) https://w3w.co/segmented.accompany.spaces After 1.7 km, on a grassy headland where access to the ternery area ahead of you is restricted during April to end August, turn left to follow the path east through the grassy dunes towards the coast. (1.9 km)
(4) Turn left upon reaching the beach(57.31856; -1.97859) https://w3w.co/headings.strain.invent After 500 m, or so, you will emerge onto the beach. Go left here, heading towards shoreline rocks in the distance. (2.4 km)
(5) Before rocks go left to take path inland(57.32796; -1.96732) https://w3w.co/snacking.chimp.playoffs After walking along the beach for 1.3 km, just before the rocks ahead of you, turn left to take a path inland through the grassy dunes past an old salmon fishing building on your left. The path soon becomes a rough road. (3.7 km)
(6) Veer right off rough road to take narrow path to Forvie church(57.32903; -1.96773) https://w3w.co/cutback.treetop.crowbarIn just over 100 m, veer right off the rough road to take a narrow path to Forvie Church. There are some signposts along the way. (3.8 km)
(7) Ruins of Forvie church(57.33004; -1.96704) https://w3w.co/passports.blast.splash In almost 200 m, you will arrive at the remaining walls of the Forvie village church, believed overwhelmed by sand in 1413. The church building dates from the 12th Century. (4.0 km)
(8) Veer left after church back towards the rough road(57.33008; -1.96750) https://w3w.co/underline.scouting.campus When you are ready to move on, veer left after the church to take the narrow path back towards the rough road through the grassy dunes and heathland. (4.0 km)
(9) Go right onto rough road(57.33000; -1.96906) https://w3w.co/tomorrow.dictation.pitchersIn just 100 m, or so, go right off the path onto the rough road going inland. (4.1 km)
(10) Right at t-junction back towards car-park(57.33237; -1.99399) https://w3w.co/dirt.sweeper.shortens In 1.6 km, after passing though grassy dunes, heathland and farmland, go right at a t-junction taking you back into the avenue of coniferous trees towards your start-point at the Forvie Reserve car-park. (5.7 km)
(11) Finish walk back at car-park(57.33355; -1.99565) https://w3w.co/drawn.chipper.vealIn just over 200 m you will have arrived back at your start-point at the Forvie Reserve car-park where the walk is complete. (6.0 km)
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