SCO-170-Rafford-Califer Viewpoint Circular

Waypoints

(1) Start walk outside door of Rafford Church(57.58747; -3.57318) https://w3w.co/follow.supposes.encounterWith your back to the Rafford Church main entrance door, go left and follow the rough road going through the trees in an easterly direction. Soon, you emerge from the trees, with open fields on either side.

(2) Follow road bending left - away from Granary Farm(57.58576; -3.55894) https://w3w.co/await.third.innovateIn 1km, or so, now in trees again, ignore the access road signed for Granary Farm on your right and keep following the rough road as it bends left. (945 m)

(3) Sharp left off rough road onto grassy path(57.58456; -3.55356) https://w3w.co/slipped.browsers.populateIn 450 m, as the rough road approaches a farm gate on your left and starts bending to the right, go sharp left onto a grassy path between fields. The Rafford Burn is close-by on your left side as you head towards some houses ahead of you. (1.4 km)

(4) At tarred road - carry straight on - uphill(57.58526; -3.54847) https://w3w.co/mediate.arrives.awakeningIn 300 m, the grassy path meets a tarred road. Carry straight on, following the road gently uphill and passing a house on your right side. (1.7 km)

(5) Through gate onto woodland path(57.58622; -3.54738) https://w3w.co/grocers.adapt.farmlandIn about 100 m, passing an old farm/mill building on your left, and at the entrance to a new hous on your right side, go through the field gate straight ahead of you to join a woodland path going uphill through the trees. The Rafford Burn is still fairly close on your left side as you ascend. (1.8 km)

(6) Take left fork - straight on - at y-junction(57.58816; -3.53644) https://w3w.co/initiates.ignoring.denotingIn 700 m, where there is a path forking to the right, ignore it and keep straight on, continuing on the main path (the left fork), with the Rafford Burn still below you on your left side. (2.5 km)

(7) Left onto rough road - signed for Califer(57.58841; -3.53394) https://w3w.co/doped.voice.derivingIn another 200 m, where the path meets a rough road at a t-junction and there is a walks signpost. Go left along the rough road, signed for Califer, cross the bridge over the Rafford Burn, and passing houses on your left, continue up the rough access road. (2.7 km)

(8) Take left fork at y-junction on rough access roads(57.59159; -3.53514) https://w3w.co/mocked.sending.wormsIn 400 m, at a y-junction on the rough access road, take the left fork. (3.1 km)

(9) Right and uphill at junction with tarred public road(57.59351; -3.53772) https://w3w.co/decompose.manly.easilyIn 200 m, where the rough access road meets a tarred minor road, go sharp right and uphill. At the top of the incline, follow the public road as it bends left. Soon, you are at the entrance to the Califer Viewpoint on your left side. Go left into the car-park and follow the path to the stone enclosure at the viewpoint. (3.3 km)

(10) Califer Hill viewpoint(57.59443; -3.53392) https://w3w.co/clusters.estimated.banksIn 500 m, you will have arrived at the Califer Viewpoint* where there is marvellous vista over the Forres area, with Findhorn Bay particularly prominent in one aspect, with the cliffs of the 'Black Isle' and the Sutors of Cromarty much further away, more to the left. There is a viewfinder which identifies places and hilltops , near and far, to assist. When you are ready, re-trace your steps back down the tarred road, passing Waypoint 9 as you carry on downhill in the direction of Forres. (3.8 km)

*Note: there is a garden of remembrance (now full) amongst the young trees on the south side of the viewpoint.

(11) Left at x-roads - to Rafford(57.59847; -3.55320) https://w3w.co/steady.plants.survivedIn 1.6 km, at a x-roads, go left in the direction signed for Rafford. (5.4 km)

(12) Passing Blervie Castle(57.59638; -3.55681) https://w3w.co/strut.paces.towelsIn 300 m, you will pass the entrance for Blervie Castle* Farmhouse as you continue on and gently downhill towards Rafford. The best views of the castle ruin on your left are probably seen after you have passed the entrance. Follow the public road down to Lower Rafford. At a t-junction with the B9010 road, by the War Memorial, cross the main road with care and go left along the verge, walking back towards your starting point at Rafford Church. At the entrance to the church, cross the road and veer right to walk up the rough access drive to your start-point outside the main doors to the church. (5.7 km)

*Note: thanks to Wikipedia for the following: 'Blervie Castle is a ruined 16th-century Z-plan tower house. The property was originally held by the Comyns, and it is thought that there was a royal castle here in the 13th century - the Exchequer Rolls mention repair of the royal castle in anticipation of Haakon IV of Norway’s invasion of 1263.It passed to the Dunbars, who built the present castle in about 1600. The Mackintoshes purchased it early in the 18th century, and subsequently sold it to the Duffs of Braco, Earls Fife. In about 1776 the castle was partly demolished to build Blervie Mains'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blervie_Castle

(13) Finish walk back at Rafford Church(57.58747; -3.57326) https://w3w.co/follow.supposes.encounterIn 700 m from passing the entrance to Blervie Mains at Waypoint 12, you will have arrived back at your start-point outside the church doors. (7.4 km)