Monymusk Circular

Ian Cordiner

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The walk starts in the local village hall car park. After passing the 12th Century local church it heads for the banks of the River Don. Opposite the church is a notice-board about its history and includes information about the Monymusk Reliquary. This is a wooden casket which is thought to contain the bones of St Columba. The walk then follows a circular route through woods and along the banks of the Don, passing the historic Monymusk House. Soon after this, the walk returns close to the river and passes through mature woodland. Next comes a tarred road for only 150m, before reaching another piece of mixed woodland. This leads to a small picturesque lake before leading back to the centre of the picturesque village of Monymusk.

Scotland - Northeast Scotland - Aberdeenshire - Donside

Features

Birds, Church, Flowers, Food Shop, Great Views, Lake/Loch, River, Tea Shop, Toilets, Wildlife, Woodland
14/06/2018 - Ian Cordiner

The walk has now been re-routed to avoid the problem faced by Gary Sim in the comment below.

16/05/2018 - Ian Cordiner

As you can see from Gary Sim’s experience there is a slight problem with the walk. Until the instructions are altered you can start by parking at the village hall at the north end of the main street. Start at the church or waymark 16 and take the lane to waymark 9. Follow the route from waymark 9 to the right and follow the path as far as waymark 3. This omits the original waymarks 1 and 2. You can then follow the published waymarks until you now end up at waymark 16 Ian Cordiner - Walk Contributor

08/05/2018 - Gary Sim

Tried this walk today, for the first time in over a year. Sadly the farmer no longer allows you to park your car at the original starting point, and told me to park in the village and walk from there. Still enjoyed walk lots of birdlife, heron, buzzards etc, and the odd brown trout jumping in river. At the end of the walk we had intended having lunch in the Grant Arms hotel, but it has sadly closed down "A year past March" woman in shop told us. Sad as it's the only place in town to eat.

12/04/2016 - Gary Sim

Had a lovely Wee stroll on this walk today. With my wife and son good start wildlife wise with buick swans in the field next to start point. This was swiftly followed by several roe deer and a couple of hares,and we were still within site of the car ! the start point as said by others is a bit grubby with rubbish of all sorts lying around and when (Rattus norvegicus)put in an appearance my wife was ready to go home. but she came to soon and we all enjoyed the walk a bit muddy at the moment but nothing a stout pair of boots wont sort It is a very easy walk and you are never more than a half mile from the village . but has such a diversity of bird life that I recommend it to anyone wanting to kill an hour or two Along the Don we saw common mergansers Dippers, and the first swallows of the year, and the wooded area had most of the titmice along with treecreepers and a lot of the finch family. The only down side was I also saw a mink.Finished walk with a nice lunch at the Grant Arms

19/01/2016 - Linda Masson

The wooden bridge at Waymark 12 is currently blocked off after some storm damage. Instead of crossing the bridge you go straight ahead and go round the lochan in an anticlockwise direction. The path isn't quite as well trodden but it doesn't add much to the walk's length. The bridge is just missing one plank so it may well be sorted very soon.

16/08/2013 - Anne Cameron

My friend and I did this walk today and like the previous reviewer we were a little surprised by the start of the walk. A lot of rubbish and discarded dross, but its worth continuing as its really is a delightful walk. There are no waymarkers any more, and some of the gates seem to have disappeared, but mostly the directions were fine. Once we had arrived in Monymusk we adjourned to The Grant Arms for an enjoyable light lunch. Its probably not a good walk to undertake in wet weather unless you have waterproof boots etc as the path along the river isnt well trodden and is mainly grass tracks. Some lovely river views and also stunning views of Bennachie in the distance.

16/01/2011 - Gill Bruce

This is the first walk we have done since being given this as a present. Beautiful day with soft wind. First direction is incorrect "Access info": the car park is EAST of Monymusk!!! Waymarkers are not clear it would be good to have DISTANCES between the nos. on directions approx! The start is marred by a lot of rubbish dumped along the path for some 100yds. It would be good to have DATE when the route was described. The hotel "Grant Arms" is great as stop off point for lunch. I don't wish to sound "picky" but thought these comments might be useful we all REALLY enjoyed our walk!!