Walk Title: Glenbuchat hills, Strathdon V2 – AMENDED ROUTE FOLLOWING RECCE
Date Sunday 4th May 2025
(NOTE CHANGE OF DATE)
OS MAPS Landranger (Pink) no 37 Strathdon & Alford OR Explorer (Orange) no 62 (420)
Correen Hills & Glenlivet. Please bring your paper map, print the walk A4 map, or have a
saved OS map on your phone, in order to find the Glenbuchat Castle parking place and
follow the route.
Meeting Time: 9.45 (Allow plenty of time.)
Start Time: 10.00
(Estimated Finish Time: 16.00)
Level of difficulty – for ramblers wanting a Moderate (harder) hill climb at a steady pace.
Circular walk
Distance: 10.5 miles / 17km Ascent: 500m / 1,300 ft
Meeting and starting point
Glenbuchat Castle Car Park (Historic Scotland). From Alford take the A944 up the R Don
valley. Turn left, South, at Mossat on the A97. Go through Kildrummy and Glenkindie
settlements. Watch out for the sign post to Glenbuchat glen, but don’t take this road. Go
200m further on, over the bridge and then turn right up to the signed Glenbuchat Castle Car
Park, 300m up the track. (Take care not to block the field gate.)
Grid reference for the Castle Car Park NJ 397 149
Nearest postcode: AB36 8TN
what3words: ///screaming.moves.lasted
Description
This is a longish hill walk, with a climb of about two hours plus on tracks to reach Creag an Sgor,
the rocky summit of the ridge on the east side of Glenbuchat.
We walk back down to the main road and head up the Glenbuchat road for 20 minutes, to reach
Blackhillock Farm. The track goes to the east of the farm buildings and leads to the slopes of
Millhuie Hill. We continue over 4 hills to reach Creag an Sgor, with a coffee stop half way along.
(See the route on the map attached.) Lunch will be on a sheltered side of Creag an Sgor. From
there, we will descend down tracks to the glen road. It is about 1.5 miles down the glen road to
Milton. Here we cross the Water of Buchat and follow the river down to a gate and a grassy
track. After a final tea stop, we continue down the track back to Glenbuchat Castle.
Refreshments
The café in the Alford main car park is open until 4.30ish, so we could go in there for a cuppa
and cake, as we choose, if time allows.
Booking
Please book with Jay Turner by the end of the Thursday before the walk, 1st May. Please text or
phone Jay on mobile phone 07933 651 681, leaving your name and mobile number. Jay will
then reply, to let you know whether a place has been booked on the walk. Please speak to Jay
about any questions you may have regarding the walk. Remember to cancel (by mobile call or
text message), if you can’t attend the walk. (No dogs).
Additional details
Walking boots are essential. Waterproof jacket and overtrousers are a necessary requirement
for hill walks. Bring a suitable hat (for a very sunny, chilly or wet day), plus thin gloves, spare
fleece / jumper. Walking poles and gaiters (also to keep ticks out) are optional. Bring a pack
lunch / hill food and a flask for hot / cold drinks. There will be three stops.
Toilets – No local loos. There are public loos in the main public car park in Alford.
Also check out other Meetups in Alford, Business events in Alford.
