Banff Coastal Walk.

Start. Banff (Harbour car park).

Route. Banff (Harbour car park) - Scotstown - The Tumblers - Boyndie Bay - Blackpots Harbour - Knock Head - Whitehills Harbour - Whitehills - Loch Street - Red Well - Boyndie Bay - The Tumblers - Scotstown - Banff (Harbour car park).

Notes. When arriving in Banff you could be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped into a mini Edinburgh, the town is full of striking Georgian architecture, but our interest lies on the coast at the towns harbour. This was an easy coastal walk along the shoreline of Boyndie Bay, including lovely sandy beaches and a striking rocky shoreline, we swung through sleepy Whitehills before returning along the edge of Boyndie Bay.

Construction work greeted us when we reached Banff Harbour, we drove along the shore road to the next parking area, laced up our boots then headed east towards the beach edging Boyndie Bay. We strolled passed rock features such as The Babes and The Tumblers, passed rows of fisherman's cottages at Scotstown then onto an arch of beautiful golden sands, the path (tarmac) runs above the beach we opted to stroll across the sands.

After passing a caravan site the shore became rocky forcing us back onto the path, a strange structure to our left drew our attention, this we ignored as we’ll be passing it on the way back. Sticking to the shoreline path we passed another caravan site before reaching the tiny harbour at Blackpots. Tucked away behind a large play area its hard to believe this was once an industrial site, bricks, pipe and tiles were produced from red clay between 1766 and 1974.

We continued around the headland passed the busy harbour at Whitehills then through the village, Loch Street ushered us passed the village store and cafe (closed when we passed), as we left the housing behind just before the speed limit sign a narrow tarmac lane emerged from the left, this we followed back to the coast. As the road descended we passed the strange structure mentioned earlier, It turned out to be a Roman built well, the water supposedly containing healing properties. Now back on the coast all we had to do was re-trace our steps back to the car then go explore Georgian Banff.

view route map.

home.

Near Banff Harbour looking to the rows of tiny cottages of Scotstown.

The golden sands of Boyndie Bay, a number of blue-roofed pavilions can be found along the beach front, these date back to a bye-gone age when Banff was a popular resort and a wealthy town in itself.

Views back to Scotstown and Banff Harbour, the finger of rock on the skyline is Troupe Head an RSPB reserve, a popular spot to watch sea birds.

Views east along the Aberdeenshire coast including the houses of Macduff, More Head and Troup Head.

What's that? tell you later.

Once a hive of actively the small harbour that serviced Blackpots Brick and Tile Works.

Still a hive of activity, Whitehills Harbour and Marina, pleasure craft and a fishing fleet all use this safe haven.

The entrance to Whitehills Harbour.

The answer to the question above, a chalybeate spring or mineral spring.

One of several chalybeate springs in the country recognised as having remedial properties and is thought to date back to Roman times, in the 18th century it was a stage on the itinerary of a popular circular walk from Banff of taking in the waters. I know this because a plaque tells me so.

Big skies over the Aberdeenshire and Moray coasts.

Looking to Knock Head and the houses of Whitehills.

Viewing the rocks known as The Tumblers backed by the cottages of Scotstown.

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