Walk 16. From Cults to Brimmond Hill and Back

Summary

This day circular walk starts from Cults Hotel and goes to Brimmond Hill (blue line on map) via Hazelhead Park, Den of Maidencraig, Bucks Burn and Kingswells. Return is also via Kingswell so a shorter version of the walk is to use a link path between the outward and return paths.

Walk Details

  • Grade: Moderate but long.
  • Terrain: Tracks & rough paths.
  • Distance: 12.7 ml; 20.3 km.
  • Total Ascent: 1380 ft; 420 m
  • Time: Allow 6.5 hours.
  • Waymarked: No

Directions

This day circular walk starts from Cults Hotel and goes to Brimmond Hill (blue line on map) via Hazelhead Park, Den of Maidencraig, Bucks Burn and Kingswells. Return is also via Kingswell so a shorter version of the walk is to use a link path between the outward and return paths.

From the Cults hotel head up Cults Den to Foggieton Road, turn right and then left up Stony Brae. When Craigton Road is reached, turn right and then left to Hazelhead Park (for more details see Walk 3). In the park head for the café for a quick coffee stop. Then head to the golf club building, along to Groats Road, past the Academy, to Skene Road. Crossover and head straight down to the Den of Maidencraig, cross of over the Den Burn and take a new tarmac path to the left (not the zig-zag) and hence to Lang Stracht.

Cross over and go past Dobbies (unless more coffee is needed), past the reservoir and down a lovely beech tree lined track to Bucks Burn. Turn towards Kingswells after crossing the burn and follow the Bucksburn Valley Path, some of which has been recently upgraded with new board walks.

On reaching Kingswells Crescent turn right and once on the far side of the bridge take a small footpath to the right. This links to a new footpath which follows the edge of the houses to the roundabout on the C89C road with the links to the AWPR. There is a broad cycle/footpath on this link road which passes under the AWPR. At the end turn left and soon the unmade road ends, with a straight track ahead head. After about a hundred yards the track enters in a wood of fir trees and there is a path turning right up the hill. Follow this up the to the top. With all the masts this is not the most scenic hilltop but hopefully you will have chosen a fine day and will have excellent 360-degree views. Brimmond Hill is the last remaining part of the ‘Freedom Lands’ in public ownership. In 1313, Robert the Bruce granted Aberdeen custodianship over his Royal Forest of the Stocket. For further information and details of a leaflet see https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/planning-and-building/building-conservation-and-heritage/freedom-lands-and-marches

The first part of return is to follow the path back where the track to the right goes into the wood of fir trees. Follow this (brown line on map) through the wood till a you reach a road, turn left and follow the road till a bridge over the AWPR.

[An alternative, trickier, way down from the top (dashed yellow line on map) is half-way down to turn west on the circular path and then left into the woods. This eventually meets the track previously mentioned. This path is not well formed and care is required].

Over the AWPR follow road down to the C89C past Fairley House, cross-over to Kingswood Drive and soon after passing Kingswell Crescent a footpath bears off to the left; a hundred yards on there is a signpost (‘Den of Maidencraig’). Carry on and follow the path round the edge of Kingswells. The path then heads east. After about a mile take the first right down to and across the Lang Stracht and the Den Burn and you arrive at Skene Road.  Cross over and turn left and immediately right in a loop road/layby. Towards the end a footpath goes off to the right (signposted ‘Footpath to Hazelhead’) takes this and when you reach the road leading to the crematorium, cross and join a path round the edge of the golf course. At the next footpath junction bear left (signposted ‘Den Wood’) and then further on turn right (signposted ‘Den Wood’). Follow this all the way down to an exit to Countesswells Road (signposted ‘Cults’). Crossover and walk down Craigton Road (no footpath). When it turns left, turn right and into the former Waldorf School and take the footpath round the right-hand side and along the bottom; this leads into a path all the way to the top of the Den of Cults. Retrace your outward steps to arrive back at the Cults Hotel.