We had 5 willing and able participants for walk 4 of 2025. Researched by Dave, it entailed a 2 bus trip for Nigel, Jeb and me on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year. As usual, the 201 had heaters blasting away and we were stuck on the sun-facing right hand side of the bus for the trip to Aberdeen. We had the pleasure of Ian Sharp's company on this journey as he was meeting up with an old pal for lunch.
We met up with Ken, Dave and Ruby at Aberdeen bus station and we all jumped on the no.3 bus for the short trip to Cove. Jeb was totally unburdened by any backpack containing fluids etc and was relying on a pit stop at the Cove Bay Hotel to stock up so the rest of us, ungrudgingly, joined him:
The narrowish coastal path was just behind the hotel so off we set:
It's basically a clifftop walk and the contours of the land meant we often zig-zagged our way north along the coast. These were some of the views we had:
Ken and Jeb wanted to have a closer look and, like Yes, went Closer to the Edge:
There were occasional info boards as well:
One waterfall, some more rocky coves and occasional colour underfoot:
Eventually we reached Aberdeen's long-awaited new deep harbour where my "oil-y" friends got all excited by a jack-up rig there. More interesting, to me at least, was the burnt-out sight of the container ship MV Solong that was involved in a major collision with the oil tanker MV Stena Immaculate back in March - not much left of it now:
Other items of interest in that harbour were a cruise ship and a giant blade for a windmill:
We had to walk round the secure harbour and out to Girdleness lighthouse and some painted rocks next to the Torry Battery:
From the Battery there were fine views of Aberdeen city, harbour and beach:
and more information boards:
There was quite a lot of activity in the waters approaching the harbour but I wasn't quite quick/lucky enough to capture the dolphins/porpoises/sharks as they emerged from the water.
Soon we were past Balnagask/Nigg Bay golf course and fully in to deepest darkest Torry, emerging unscathed, crossing Victoria bridge where we had been advised by Ian to look out for a memorial plaque on it:
Dave, Ken and Ruby left us at Union Square car park while Jeb, Nigel and I carried on to meet up again with Ian for a couple of beers. Ian saw us coming before we spotted him waiting on the other side of Market Street:
I had suggested a quick beer in Krakatoa (formerly the Moorings) on our way up to Archibald Simpson's but it was not to be as the place was mobbed by passengers waiting for the overnight ferry to Shetland and stocking up with endless cocktails. We never got served but at least we were able to make use of their facilities.
Wetherspoon's was busy but not excessively so and service was prompt, although I had made the schoolboy error of forgetting to bring my CAMRA vouchers. The beer was good:
Ian's lift home arrived nearby and he left after a couple of pints while the 3 of us had our meals and then walked down for the 7:15 pm bus home, passing along Shiprow which was bedecked with rooftop umbrellas:
The stats from a wonderful day out were:
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