Geo-Trips :: Putting Off Time at Aberdeen
Aberdeen
A walk from Tullos, Fri, 20 Mar 2020 by Anne Burgess
The car was booked in for servicing, and they told me it would be about two hours. When I arrived they told me there had been a mistake (again! - see Link ), and that it would take about four hours, and would I like a lift into town? No, thank you, I would not. Anywhere I might have wanted to go is closed because of coronavirus, or if not it should be, so I was equipped to go for a walk - it would just be longer than anticipated. I walked away from the garage for two hours, stopped briefly to eat a sandwich, and started to walk back by another route. Five minutes later the phobile rang, and they told me the car was ready. It took me another hour and a half to get back. This is the photographic log of that walk, plus a few more images taken on the way home.
Click the blue circles to see a photograph taken from that spot and read further information about the location. The blue lines indicate the direction of view. There is also a slideshow of this trip. ( )
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Nigg Parish Kirk
This kirk and was built in 1828-1829 and replaced [[[5702759]]]. A new turnpike... more
Nigg Kirk Road
Modern blocks of flats in a curving street that takes its name from the nearby... more
Kincorth Hill
Kincorth Hill, named as Stoney Hill on older maps, is now a local nature reserve.... more
Waymarker on Kincorth Hill
This waymarker greets you as you enter Kincorth Hill local nature reserve from... more
Kincorth Hill
In the 19th century, what is now Kincorth Hill was pock-marked with granite... more
Path Junction
There is a good network of paths in Kincorth Hill local nature reserve, of which... more
Pond on Stoney Hill
A small spring feeds this small pond beside the main path on Stoney Hill, now... more
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
Interestingly, the snowdrops here are well behind the ones in Moray, most of which... more
View from Kincorth Hill
A gap in the woods offers a view towards the sea and to the offshore wind turbines.
Informal Path
The passage of many feet has created an informal path linking the main paved paths.
Fork in the Pathway
Two paths meet, or diverge, on Kincorth Hill.
Information Board
The information board describes the various habitats on Kincorth Hill.
Wellington Road Industrial Estate
This is the rear of the industrial estates on Wellington Road, plus a glimpse of... more
Kincorth Hill Triangulation Point
Another trig point, obviously redundant because its lines of sight are obscured by... more
Parkhead Farm
A vast quantity of assorted useful items stored at Parkhead Farm. Beyond it are... more
Kincorth Hill
Open woodland on Kincorth Hill, mostly Scots Pine.
Triangle of Paths
To the right is a viewpoint from which most of Aberdeen is visible. The path to... more
Kincorth Hill Viewpoint
The view indicator has faded to the point where any information it might have... more
Rough Path
This is the side path that leads from the paved path in the background to [[[6419399]]].
Larch Cones
The branches of this larch are thick with old cones, but it's good to see emerging... more
Storm Damage
Trees blown over in a storm have been cut and stacked here out of harm's way.
Fields on Kincorth Hill
Grazing land on the south side of Kincorth Hill, though the boundary dyke is in no... more
Granite Benches
I take it that this is a set of table and benches using some of the granite... more
End of the Path
The path through the Kincorth Hill Local Nature Reserve rejoins Nigg Way here.... more
Abandoned Quarry
The information board at [[[6419433]]] told me that it was possible to walk into... more
Stoneyhill Quarry (1)
The maps suggests that this is inside one of the old quarries, but there's little... more
Stoneyhill Quarry (2)
Having braved the hidden blocks in [[[6419437]]] and reached the edge of the... more
Path in Stoneyhill Quarry
The path passes through part of what was once a busy quarry, producing granite... more
Quarry Entrance
The area with partial concrete cover was the main access to Stoneyhill Quarries,... more
Quarry Face
Lurking beneath the overhanging whins are a few square metres of exposure of a... more
Slessor Drive
The street at the foot of Kincorth Hill.
Laws Road
A wide street with a green strip up the middle.
Dee View Court
This is the upper part of the fairly extensive Sue Ryder Neurological Care Home.... more
Laws Road
Laws Road bends round to meet Cruickshank Crescent again.
Dee View Court
This is the lower end and the main entrance to the Sue Ryder Neurological Care... more
Gardner Drive
Gardner Drive is straight ahead, and Gardner Crescent to the left.
Deeside Brae
These are the backs of house that front on Deeside Brae, or it might be Deeside... more
Deeside View
Looking down Deeside View from the end of the top row of houses. The couple with... more
Ploughed Field
The transition here from city to countryside is quite abrupt. The houses on the... more
Drain
This is marked simply as 'Drain' on the maps, and it falls into the Burn of... more
Burn of Leggart
This is the first point at which the burn really looks like a burn, because... more
New House at Stonedykes
I think the name of the new house is Oakbank or similar. There's just a glimpse of... more
Dean of Leggart
Strictly speaking, the Den of Leggart is the gully beyond the dead tree through... more
Ploughed and Harrowed Field
Ready for sowing with the new crop. In the background are the houses in Deeside... more
Farm Track
The track leads down to cross the Burn of Leggart and then turns down to the top... more
Particoloured Field
I wonder how this field has been prepared to have neat greyer rectangles... more
Bales, Lane, and Fence
But not in that order. The top part of the Kincorth housing estate, and Kincorth... more
Drystane Dyke
There's a rather fine solid granite dyke all the way along the west side of the... more
Tollohill Woods Car Park
A handy car park makes easy access to Tollohill Woods.
Tollohill Woods
One of the numerous paths in this small wood.
Former Quarry
The mid-19th century maps confirm my surmise that this hollow is a former quarry,... more
Path in Tollohill Woods
One of the smaller paths through the woods at Tollohill.
Flooded Quarry
This is one of several small ponds marked on the map, probably all flooded former... more
Tollohill Woods
The trees here have grown tall and spindly as they compete with one another for... more
Path out of Tollohill Woods
The side path leads down to a field beside Banchory-Devenick House. The field is... more
New Growth at Tollohill
What looks like a spring cereal crop is beginning to emerge in this field beside... more
Hillhead
A gable end partly obscures the view of the house at Hillhead. Interestingly,... more
Dyke Failure
The dyke running straight between the field and the road is still in reasonable... more
Field near Tillyhowes
Ground prepared for this year's crop to be sown. The building towards the left is... more
Remains of a Dyke
The dyke here has not just collapsed, but apparently the larger stones have mostly... more
Former Quarry?
This odd little patch of vegetation has the look of an old quarry about it, but... more
Nether Brandmyres
House and buildings seen from the minor road.
Tillyhowes
The house at Tillyhowes enjoys a southerly aspect and there is a fine view behind... more
Burn of Leggart
It's not much of a burn at this point, just after it has flowed under the bridge... more
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
As one of the earliest plants to flower, Coltsfoot is always a very welcome sight.... more
Redcraigs is That Way
This was a bit puzzling. The place is marked on the map as Redcraigs, but the... more
Tollohill
This is the farm marked as Tollohill on the modern maps, and one of two named on... more
Looking towards Tollohill
The foreground dyke intersects the Burn of Leggart at the far side of the field,... more
Craighill Holiday Park
The map says 'caravan site' but there are now only static caravans and wooden lodges.
A Gap in the Dyke
Until I came close to this, I thought it was a conveniently sited path, but it... more
Unnamed Lane
Although the maps don't name it, I am sure the local residents will have a name... more
Former Quarry
The step in the topography, and the exposed rock to the right of the foot of the... more
Nameless Lane
Nameless on the maps, but I'm sure the local residents have a name for it. It's... more
Granite Barrier
It looks as if this little area of uncultivated ground must have been attracting... more
View from the Lane
Until this point, the view from the lane is of fields on one side and whins on the... more
End of the Lane
The lane is closed off to traffic by a locked gate, with a gap for pedestrians to... more
Boggy Hollow
There's no obvious reason for this wet patch in the corner of the field. In the... more
Ramshackle Gate
There's something appealingly picturesque about a decrepit old gate.
Balmoral Subsea Test Centre
I gather that the building contains pressurised tanks up to 15 metres deep for... more
Waterlogged Field
The satellite view suggests that this field frequently contains a shallow pond,... more
Redmoss Road
The road is closed to traffic, making it a pleasant route for a walk. Not... more
Beside Redmoss Road
There's quite a contrast between the rough rushy ground by the road and the urban... more
Car Parking
This large car park doesn't belong to the Balmoral Subsea Test Centre, but to... more
Lochside Academy
As I approached this building I speculated about what it is. It turns out not to... more
Redmoss Road
With Kincorth Hill Nature reserve on the left, and the playing fields of Lochside... more
Playing Fields
These are the playing fields of Lochside Academy.
Derelict Sheds
There is something about derelict corrugated iron sheds that draws the eye... more
End of the Traffic-free Zone
This is the end of the closed section of Redmoss Road. The entrance on the right... more
Parkhead Farm
So far, the farm survives on the edge of all the development across the road. It... more
Communications Compound
If there were a competition for the largest number of warning notices on a single... more
Redmoss Road
These are the last few (or first few, if you approach as I did from the... more
Redmoss Road
20th century bungalows and houses line the upper part of Redmoss Road.
House with Laurel
This house on the corner of Redmoss Road and Redmoss Avenue has an impressive and... more
Redmoss Walk
At the end of this short cul-de-sac is an access path into the Kincorth Hill local... more
West Tullos Road
As can be seen, this is one of city bus routes, serving the east side of the... more
Nigg Allotments
The allotments are beside West Tullos Road, and are overlooked by Nigg Parish Kirk.
Aberdeen Photo
This small business occupies the former Nigg schoolhouse, designed by Mackenzie... more
Shell Offices
'The Buildings of Scotland' says that the Shell office complex, built in five... more
In Altens Industrial Estate
These look like pumping equipment, probably for use in the North Sea oil industry.
Altens Industrial Estate
I was particularly impressed by the impeccably manicured bush at the entrance to... more
Standing Stones
A trio of modern standing stones carved by Albertino Costa, commemorating the... more
Standing Stones
A trio of modern standing stones carved by Albertino Costa, commemorating the... more
Standing Stone
One of a trio of modern standing stones carved by Albertino Costa, commemorating... more
Standing Stones
A trio of modern standing stones carved by Albertino Costa, commemorating the... more
Crocus Emblem
The little sign says that the crocuses are a reminder that polio is being... more
Floral Displays
The bed on the right is supported by EIS Waste for Cove in Bloom.
Earn's Heugh View
The name, applied to half a dozen streets in this area, is that of a cove and... more
South Loirston Road
South Loirston Road was until a couple of decades ago a tiny minor road meandering... more
Whitehills Housing Estate
This new development has been built in the last year or two on the fringe of Charlestown.
Charlestown Circle
One of the slightly maturer streets in Charlestown.
All images © Anne Burgess and available under a Creative Commons licence .