SCO-042-Core Hill-Mill of Easterton Circular

Waypoints

(1) Start at Core Hill Meldrum Mast car-park(57.38542; -2.40006) https://w3w.co/pressing.registers.flittingThe access road to the Meldrum Mast on Core Hill is 1 km from Cross of Jackson (turn sharp right and uphill as you pass through the hamlet in the direction of Fyvie). Open (then close behind you) the unlocked gate straight ahead of you at the x-roads at the base of the access road to the Core Hill masts. Ascend to the little car-park at the top of the Core Hill. Start the walk by walking up the short access road to the main transmitting station and mast. Check out the interesting BBC coat of arms* before re-tracing your steps and continuing downhill, eventually joining the minor tarred road that you arrived on. Carry on until you reach the outskirts of the hamlet of Cross of Jackston, looking out for the beginning of a grassy track on your left before you descend to the public road going through the hamlet.

*Note: The coat of arms of the BBC was adopted in March 1927. The original motto was 'Nation shall speak peace unto Nation”. In 1934 the motto was changed to the Latin 'Quaecunque', meaning 'Whatsoever'. This was inspired by St Paul's Epistle to the Philippians translated as “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Although the motto reverted to the original in 1948, for some reason it is 'Quaecunque' that appears on the Meldrum Mast building, constructed in 1955 to transmit 405 line analogue BBC TV signals to the NE of Scotland. Nowadays the mast transmits FM and DAB radio.

(2) Left onto grassy road(57.38265; -2.41843) https://w3w.co/guess.fuzz.ratedIn 1.6 km, on the outskirts of Cross of Jackston, just before the road bends right and downhill between houses (there is an ornamental well in the garden ahead of you, behind a stone with the house name 'Cross Lodge'), go sharp left onto a grassy track, initially passing above a modern house then carrying on along the side of the hill between fields. There are tremendous views, particularly to the Bennachie range. Carry on taking this grassy track* as it eventually passes above the Mackie's Ice Cream factory and a recently created arboretum, with a woody hillside on your left side at that point. (1.6 km)

*Note: re-visiting this walk in December 2021, after Storm Arwen, we found fallen trees blocking the grassy track in about 1km from Waypoint 2. We diverted a short distannce uphill into the trees on the left, by an underground water tank, to avoid the trees, before returning to the grassy track and proceeding onwards on the route.

(3) Keep going avoiding uphill road(57.37358; -2.39858) https://w3w.co/crowds.chapters.simulatesIn another 1.6 km, as you pass the Mackie's Ice Cream* factory and farm at Westertown, below you on your right, as the grassy track passes over a concrete farm road going uphill, carry on over the concrete road.  (3.2 km)

Note: The Mackie family have been farming at Westertown since 1912, and Mackie’s of Scotland is now a very well-known Scottish food brand. Mackie’s were formerly a milk retail company and in 1986 began making ice cream. In recent years, the business has committed to being self-sufficient in renewable energy and to take “… care of the land, wildlife, farm animals, staff and local environment in the best way possible”. They have four wind turbines with a total capacity of 3 MW and have also installed a 10 acre site of solar panels with capacity of 1.8 MW. The slurry from the cows is pumped up to a slurry lagoon on top of Easterton Hill and mixed with waste water. It is then used as natural fertiliser and spread on the farm fields via four miles of pipe-work. 

(4) Don't go uphill - keep going ahead on grassy path(57.37345; -2.39609) https://w3w.co/beaks.sniff.generalIn another 200 m, as the farm road proceeds uphill, veer slightly right to join the grassy track that carries on along the side of the hill, in a similar way as before, between Waypoints 2 and 3, with trees above you on your left. (3.4 km)

(5) Again don't go uphill-keep going on grassy path(57.37069; -2.38758) https://w3w.co/doing.overjoyed.brandedIn 600 m, when the grassy track meets a farm road going uphill, DON'T take that farm road but cross over it to take the far less obvious grassy track that carries on along the side of the hill. The grassy track is more narrow at this stage than it has previously been. It eventually passes houses on your right at Mill of Easterton before joining a tarred access road. (4.0 km)

(6) Sharp left onto minor public road - on return route now to start-point(57.36707; -2.36465) https://w3w.co/hound.growl.clustersIn 1.4 km, after passing the houses at Mill of Easterton, and now walking on a tarred access road, you will soon arrive at a junction with a minor public road. Turn left here and walk up the road in a northerly direction, taking a sharp left turn at North Bethelnie Farm as you continue to follow the narrow minor road. Eventually, you will pass Newton of Tullich farm and then the byre and house at Baikiehowe, both on your right side. After Baikiehowe, the tarred surface ends and becomes rough hardcore as you gently ascend back towards Core Hill and its summit masts above you on your right side. Keep following this road as it then descends to pass a couple of houses before reaching the x-roads junction where the access road to the Core Hill masts is on your right. Go past the gate and ascend on the Core Hill access road to return to the car-park where you started the walk. (5.4km)

(7) Finish walk back at Core Hill transmitters(57.38544; -2.39997) https://w3w.co/pressing.registers.flittingIn 4.1 km, you will have arrived back at your starting point in the little car-park near the Meldrum Mast.  (9.5 km)