Footdee & Old Aberdeen

The November walk was the long-promised trip to Aberdeen to "do" a semi-cultural/sightseeing round Footdee and Old Aberdeen. Four of us - Ian, Colin, Nigel and me - caught the bus in to Aberdeen and we were joined on the bus at Culter by Dave, fresh from his Pilates class at Kippie.

The early part of the walk from Union St, along Regent Quay was pretty busy and industrial, but when got to Pocra Quay and Footdee it became much more interesting. The iconic Roundhouse and Silver Darlings restaurant beckoned us onwards:

Scarty's Monument - actually a ventilator shaft

Team in "Fittie"

Fittie house

Fittie house 2

We were getting a bit peckish so a quick lunch stop at the famous Inversnecky:

We then marched a couple of miles along the beach and turned back up towards Bridge of Don and Donmouth Nature Reserve and the bird hide there:

Heron

Across the bridge and down to the north side of the Don, we headed inland half a mile to the historic Brig o' Balgownie: 

Looking back east from the Brig:

We strolled along the riverside in Seaton Park and soon St. Machar's Cathedral came in to view:

There is a myth that Robert the Bruce's body was dismembered and various body parts distributed throughout the country, with an arm interred inside the cathedral - but apparently that's exactly what it is - a myth.

Next up was Old Aberdeen and the University:

The Town House - now a museum

The new University library aka The Glass House 

The interior of the library, looking upwards at the elliptical stairway

Sorry, Colin - it's no longer a brewery

Cloisters

King's College at dusk

Scotland - England. CK couldn't decide.

Gallery ceiling inside

Sharpy rants about the lack of a public square at the new development opposite Marischal College

We had to ask where the new leopard (not panther) sculpture (designed by the same artist as the Kelpies) was and we still didn't notice it at first - look up!

Darkness descends over Provost Skene's House.

Finally, we were ready for some beer - Archibald Simpson's was the first stop and we were joined there by John. 3 pints later, we moved to Carriages, where Jeb joined us for a swift one, after which all 7 of us headed to the Jewel in the Crown.

We managed to catch the 9:45 pm bus, but it had been a long day - too long for Nigel and Dave apparently:

Dave is one scary dude, sleeping with his eyes open.

 Finally, the stats and the route:

Great day out - and, for November, the weather was excellent - mostly sunny, albeit with single figure temperatures.