Colour code of walk: Green

Name of walk: Court Hill

Grade symbol: Moderate

Length of walk: 4 miles / 6.7 km

Time to allow: 2 hours 30 minutes

default Walk Court Hill gpx(305 KB)

What to see:

Climb for around 400 feet / 120 metres into open woodland to get some great views of Aboyne and of the surrounding hills.

Terrain description:

Starting on pavement, then firm path gradually ascending to a section of narrow, undulating and sometimes uneven path, before steadily descending on wide track and returning on a firm path to the end. Be aware that the paths are shared with mountain bikers.

Path description

From the village centre noticeboard, cross the main road at the traffic lights. Head to the right of the Victory Hall for 150 m, before turning left at South Lodge into a beautiful avenue, with the Tarland Burn on your right. At the crossroads, turn left and look out for the 17th Century Aboyne Castle to your right, home to the Earl of Aboyne (a private residence, so please respect this). Continue until the Tarland Road, cross to the farm track and follow the sign right to the Tarland Way, which climbs steadily. Ignore the waymarked right-hand turn after 600 m and carry on for another 150 m. You will come to a wide flat forestry loading area, turn left uphill onto a muddy forestry track that quickly turns into a narrow path. Follow the well-worn path through an area that’s been clear felled giving views northwards to the local hills Pressendye, Craiglich and Mortlich. After another 300 m you will come to a junction, take the left which runs along the woodland boundary and then bend right heading over a fallen tree, continue along path to reach a field fence, bounded with majestic large beech trees. Take in the great views over Aboyne and to the far hills as you continue for another 1 km on the fringes of the woodland. Just as you see a farm through the trees ahead, take a left down the narrow path onto a wide track, continuing downhill to a white cottage. Here turn left on to the waymarked Deeside Way, which returns you to the village centre, arriving back at the Victory Hall.