The Blue Door Walk – Along the North Esk Gorge at Edzell
About 2.9 miles on foot.
A little blue door in an estate wall beside Gannochy Bridge opens onto one of the loveliest short walks in Angus.
The path keeps to the lip of the North Esk gorge, through beech woods, with the river running deep between red rock walls below. It's a round of 4.7 km and takes about two hours.
- Time
- About two hours: Visit Angus's Blue Door trail, a round of 4.7 km (2.9 miles) from Gannochy Bridge, graded moderate.
- The path
- A narrow path above the gorge, muddy after rain, with a boardwalk, small bridges and steep unfenced drops.
- Where to start
- The layby at Gannochy Bridge on the B966, a mile north of Edzell. Free. DD9 7TE is the nearest postcode.
- Set off
- From November to January, set off by 12.30pm to be back in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight; best in autumn colour or after rain. From November to January set off by 12.30pm.
- Dogs
- Welcome, kept close: the drops to the river are steep and unfenced.
- Children
- An unfenced gorge edge: hold hands all the way.
- Toilets
- None at the layby: the public toilets are at the Muir in Edzell.
- Before you set out
- The Shakin' Brig footbridge at Edzell is closed to walkers after storm damage. The round from Gannochy Bridge doesn't use it.
The walk
Park in the layby at Gannochy Bridge, on the B966 a mile north of Edzell. It's free, and DD9 7TE is the nearest postcode. The blue door is right beside the bridge, a small wooden door in the estate wall, and the walk begins on the other side of it. Visit Angus gives the round as 4.7 km, grades it moderate and allows two hours. The path keeps to the edge of the gorge, under beech trees, with the North Esk running deep between red rock walls below and white water between its pools.
Further up, the gorge narrows at the Rocks of Solitude. The story goes that prisoners of the Napoleonic wars cut the path out of the rock. The way back is along a quiet road past the gates of the Burn House. The path is narrow, and muddy after rain, with steep unfenced drops to the river, so wear boots, hold on to children and keep dogs close. This is a salmon river, so leave the little paths down to the fishing pools to the anglers.
The old circuit from Edzell village crossed the Shakin' Brig, a footbridge over the river. Storm damage has closed it to walkers, so start at Gannochy Bridge and don't try to cross it. There are no toilets at the layby. The public ones are at the Muir in Edzell. From November to January, set off by 12.30pm.
If it rains
The woods give some shelter and the river is at its best in spate, but the path is narrow and slippery above a long drop. After heavy rain or in ice, keep it for a drier day.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
Where to eat
Sinclair’s Larder, a restaurant in Edzell.
For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by Dhamma School via Google