Skip to content
  • Map
  • Route Finder
  • Route Planner
  • Travel Guide
Sign upor
Log in
  • Map
  • Route Finder
  • Route Planner
  • Travel Guide
Sign up
  • Places & Accommodation
    • Places to visit
    • Eat & drink
    • Huts
    • Accommodation
    • Ski resorts
    • Crags
  • News & Conditions
    • Current Conditions
    • Weather
    • Webcams
    • Avalanche Report
    • Events
  • Inspiration
    • Collections
    • Offers
    • Travel Stories
    • Publications
  • Community
    • Challenges
    • Groups
  • Settings
  • Help
Back
Routes United Kingdom SCO-064--Delgatie Castle and Woods Circular
Plan a route here Copy route
Hiking Route

SCO-064--Delgatie Castle and Woods Circular

Hiking Route · United Kingdom
Profile picture of Alison Mackenzie
Responsible for this content
Alison Mackenzie 
  • Photo: Alison Mackenzie, Community
Photo: Alison Mackenzie, Community
Photo: Alison Mackenzie, Community
Photo: Alison Mackenzie, Community
Add comment
m 120 100 80 60 4 3 2 1 km
  • The route
  • Details
  • Turn-by-turn directions
  • Getting There
  • Literature
  • Current information
A short and easy walk in mixed woodland, passing an attractive trout loch, before diverting to the landscaped grounds of Delgatie Castle, an impressive building in the Scottish Tower House tradition.

Duration: 1.5 hours.
easy
Distance 4.6 km
Duration1:13 h
Ascent63 m
Descent65 m
Highest point135 m
Lowest point69 m

This is a pleasant walk with a very modest overall ascent amongst mature mixed woodland with some open views. On the return leg, approaching the Castle, the route passes close to an attractive trout fishery loch, edged by large broadleaf trees. To cap off the walk, we suggest paying a visit to Delgatie Castle itself, an historic tower house sitting on a wooded hillside just above the woodland walks car-parking area. The castle consists of a keep, adjoining house and two later wings. It is believed that a fortified building has stood on the site of Delgatie Castle since the 11thC, although the earliest parts of the castle standing today were built in the late 16thC. Wings and a chapel were added in the mid 18thC. The original castle and lands were seized from the Earl of Buchan after the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and given to Clan Hay (later to become the Earls of Erroll). Mary, Queen of Scots, was a guest at the castle in 1562 after the Battle of Corrichie. The interior of the house was saved from destruction from dry rot by the late Captain John Hay, who acquired the building in a semi-ruinous state in the 1950s. Notable internal features include a very wide turnpike stair, painted ceilings dating from the 16thC, and, reputedly, a ghost! Today, the castle and its gardens are owned by the Delgatie Castle Trust. The castle, grounds, and Laird’s Kitchen Tea Room (recommended!) are open to the public throughout the year except at Christmas. See the following links:

http://www.delgatiecastle.com/

http://www.delgatiecastle.com/LairdsKitchen.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delgatie_Castle

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/turriff/delgatiecastle/index.html

Our website link: https://themackwalks.wordpress.com/2019/05/29/064-delgatie-castle-and-woods-circular-aberdeenshire/

Difficulty
easy
Technique
Stamina
Highest point
135 m
Lowest point
69 m

Track types

Show elevation profile

Start

Coordinates:
OS Grid
NJ 75617 50600
DD
57.544861, -2.408992
DMS
57°32'41.5"N 2°24'32.4"W
UTM
30V 535375 6378193
w3w 
///twee.calculate.snores
Show on Map

Turn-by-turn directions

Waypoints

(1) Take path up steps from car-park(57.54486; -2.40899)Start the walk at the car-park for Delgaty Woods. Walk up the steps at the rear of the car-park and follow the path as it winds its way gently uphill.

(2) Veer left at open area(57.54305; -2.40468)In 400 m, the path having joined a forest road, veer left at the y-junction. After following the path for about 200 m go right.  (400 m)

(3) Left and uphill(57.53917; -2.40107)In 700 m, at a t-junction, go left and uphill.  (1.1 km)

(4) Go right here(57.53967; -2.39515)After 400 m, go right.  (1.5 km)

(5) Take narrow path on left(57.53739; -2.39518)In 300 m, take the narrow path on the left that skirts along the edge of the wood, with open countryside visible on your left side.  (1.8 km)

(6) Follow path out of woods to tarred road(57.53619; -2.40313)In 400 m, having passed an entrance to the woods and car-parking area, the narrow path you are on goes left to exit the woods onto a minor road. Carry on walking down the quiet narrow road, keeping to the right side to face any oncoming vehicles.  (2.2 km)

(7) Right onto rough road into woods(57.53488; -2.41118)In 600 m, at an attractive rock garden by an access road junction, go right and around the vehicular gate to follow the forest road back in the direction of your start point. Fairly soon, the forest track ends at another gate and you carry on, joining a woodland path that soon passes the trout fishery loch on your left side. Keep going back to you start point at the car-park. Here, go left towards Delgatie Castle. We suggest that, as your route, you take the winding vehicle access drive on your left below the castle.  (2.8 km)

(8) Delgatie Castle entrance(57.54420; -2.41211)In 1.5 km you will have arrived at the front entrance to Delgatie Castle*. The castle can be visited and we can recommend the Laird's Kitchen Tea Room. When you are ready, return to the car-park where you started the walk down the pedestrian pathway.  (4.3 km)

*Note: see the following links:http://www.delgatiecastle.com/ http://www.delgatiecastle.com/LairdsKitchen.htmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delgatie_Castlehttps://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/turriff/delgatiecastle/index.html(9) Finish walk back at car-park(57.54489; -2.40921)In 300 m from the castle, you will have returned to the car-park where you started the walk.  (4.6 km)

Note


all notes on protected areas

Coordinates

OS Grid
NJ 75617 50600
DD
57.544861, -2.408992
DMS
57°32'41.5"N 2°24'32.4"W
UTM
30V 535375 6378193
w3w 
///twee.calculate.snores
Show on Map
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike

Book recommendations for this region:

Show more
All publications
The most beautiful hikes in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom › Scotland › Aberdeenshire

Similar routes nearby

  • SCO-182-Turriff-Wrae Pond Circuit
  • SCO-059-Woodhead-Windy Hills Circular
  • SCO-086-Fyvie-Den Wood Circular
  • SCO-029-Fyvie Castle-Fyvie Loch-Fyvie Kirk
  • Map / Braes of Gight
    Braes of Gight
  • SCO-007-Braes of Gight Circular
  • Map / Bridge of Alva circuit
    Bridge of Alva circuit
 These suggestions were created automatically.

Questions and answers

Ask the first question

Would you like to the ask the author a question?


Rating

Write your first review

Help others by being the first to add a review.


Photos from others


Difficulty
easy
Distance
4.6 km
Duration
1:13 h
Ascent
63 m
Descent
65 m
Highest point
135 m
Lowest point
69 m
Circular route Dog-friendly

Statistics

  • My Map
  • Content
  • Show images Hide images
Features
2D 3D
Maps and trails
  • Waypoints
  • Waypoints
Distance  km
Duration : h
Ascent  m
Descent  m
Highest point  m
Lowest point  m
Push the arrows to change the view
  km
●   km

Excursions and leisure tips for the region

Win an outfit from Martini Sportswear
Find out more!
Routes United Kingdom SCO-064--Delgatie Castle and Woods Circular
App Store
Google Play Store
Huawei App Gallery
  • Our services
    • Register for free
    • Pro and Pro+
    • Pro for Search & Rescue
    • Benefits and discounts from our partners
    • Vouchers
    • B2B
  • More services
    • Help Center
    • Blog
    • Shop
    • Newsletter
    • Affiliate Program
  • Corporate
    • Discover Outdooractive
    • Careers
    • Team
    • corp.outdooractive.com
    • business.outdooractive.com
Learn more about the apps for Android and iOS
1% for the Planet Digitize the Planet
Choose a language
English
  • Deutsch
  • italiano
  • français
  • español
  • עברית
  • 中文
  • română
  • português (Portugal)
  • português (Brasil)
  • čeština
  • suomi
  • русский
  • magyar
  • norsk bokmål
  • slovenčina
  • Nederlands
  • 日本語
  • українська
  • हिन्दी
  • Türkçe
  • Mobile version
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cancellation policy
  • Customer information
  • Terms of payment
  • Map information
  • Legal Disclosure