Huntly – The Castle Avenue and the Banks of the Deveron
About 2.3 miles on foot.
Huntly's castle stands at the end of an avenue on the edge of the town, beside the River Deveron.
This easy circuit goes out to the ruin, crosses the old castle bridge and comes back along the river on a level path with benches for a rest. It's two and a quarter miles and takes about an hour.
- Time
- About an hour: a circuit of two and a quarter miles.
- The path
- Pavement and a tarred, level riverside path, then a rougher stretch with tree roots beside the cemetery wall.
- Where to start
- Free parking on Castle Street, behind the police station. The council's car park in The Square is pay and display.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. Huntly Castle keeps its own opening days.
- Children
- Easy and short. The river runs beside the path for the second half.
- Before you set out
- The walk passes Huntly Castle. The castle keeps its own opening days.
The walk
The Square in the middle of Huntly has a pay and display car park, and there's free parking on Castle Street, behind the police station. Castle Street leads from the Square towards the castle. The town's own leaflet starts and ends this circuit at the war memorial, and gives it as two and a quarter miles, 50 minutes to an hour, on pavement and good paths, easy with a little up and down. The first half goes through the arch of the Simpson Building and straight down the avenue to Huntly Castle.
The grassy mound beside the ruin is all that's left of the first castle here, built around 1180, and the grand south front was rebuilt around 1602. The castle is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, so look up its opening days before counting on going inside. The walk only passes it. Beyond the castle the old bridge crosses the Deveron.
The second half comes back beside the river on a tarred, level path, past the Nordic ski centre and a round seating area that makes a good place for a flask. Otters live in the Deveron, so keep an eye on the water. The path turns rougher along the cemetery wall, where there are tree roots underfoot, before the streets lead back into the town.
If it rains
It's pavement and tarred path for most of the way, so a shower does no harm. After heavy rain the stretch by the cemetery wall is muddy and the roots are slippery.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.