Pressendye from the River Don

Roadside by Chapel of Towie

West of Alford and south of Huntly, the A97 merges with the A944 as it passes through farmland beside the River Don, before heading over the hills towards Deeside.

A network of narrow unclassified roads links the surrounding hamlets and villages, including a road branching east from the A97 near Towie and Glenkindle.

Around 3km along this road, a sharp bend is reached by the access track to Chapel of Towie. Here, the walk begins, with space available to park a couple of vehicles beside refuse bins.

Bennachie from Craiglea Hill

From the roadside, the route begins by following a good track southwards, rising steadily uphill. The track passes the entrance to Chapel of Towie, continues past a felled area of woodland, and reaches a sharp bend before a gate . At this point, the track is left, and a grassy path is followed southwards, running beside a fence on the left that encloses woodland.

The path twists between gorse and broom before passing through a gate, where the fence is now on the right. The route continues uphill to another gate in the fencing, beyond which the track becomes clearer as it cuts through heather. After around 200m, a junction is reached - the left-hand option provides a more direct, though rougher, ascent.

Higher up, the track swings sharply . Here, the track is left for a short detour over heather to aim towards a pair of posts, where another track is joined. This track is followed up to Craiglea Hill , where a short detour leads to a cairn with fine views towards Bennachie.

Beyond Craiglea Hill, the main track climbs beside the edge of forestry before levelling off and turning south. A the crest of The Socach is crossed, Pressendye soon comes into view ahead. Following the crest, the track gradually turns southeast and passes through one final gate, leaving a final 500m of relatively flat walking to the summit .

The final 500m to Pressendye's summit

The final 500m to Pressendye's summit

Pressendye's trig point and view to Mount Keen

The simplest return is by the same route.

With a network of tracks spreading out from Pressendye, alternative variations are possible, including extended loops that rejoin the quiet roadside along the River Don.