Distance: 12.38 miles
Ascent: 247 metres
Duration: 4 hours 4 minutes
One more church
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We've already walked further than we'd planned this week, but there was still time for one more outing, one more abandoned church.
Local legend is rife with tales of how the medieval village of Forvie came to be buried in the sand. All that remains now are the forlorn four walls of the church. It's a haunting spot, but there's little here to indicate that the building was a place of worship. I prefer the churchyards we've seen elsewhere this week.
At the church the sandy interlude that began in Aberdeen comes to an end. Before we reached the village of Collieston, the rocky terrain had asserted itself against any attempts to tame it with a straightforward path. The way out of the village started with a clamber up a steep rock face.
Though a formal path at this point, it was of poor quality and so when we reached Old Slains Castle we switched to the backroads despite a sign indicating that the path ("Sponsored by Energetica") would continue to Whinnyfold.
We were racing against the clock: the map suggested that the beach at the Bay of Cruden might be tricky at high tide so we were hoping to get there early. In the end we reached the beach more-or-less bang on high tide, and didn't have any difficulties - other than dodging the jellyfish that had been washed onto the sand.
We've had a great week here in the north-east of Scotland. Next time we'll turn the corner towards Inverness, and from there John O'Groats seems only a short hop away.
Notes for future walkers:
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