Inverbervie
Location: South of Stonehaven Map: OS Landranger 45 (GR 833 724) Distance: 11km (7 miles) Time: 3 hours Terrain: Paths and tracks
This walk utilises the course of an old railway, an ancient path and an old coach road to explore the Mearns coastline between Inverbervie and Johnshaven. For thousands of years farming and fishing have sustained the communities inland and along this coast, a way of life captured by Lewis Mitchell - better known as Lewis Grassic Gibbon - in his Scots Quair trilogy. Times have changed, but much of the landscape remains the same. From the large beach car park on Bervie Bay, follow the shingle beach or coastal path south towards the small fishing village of Gourdon. Haddock and herring have sustained its boats for centuries, and today crabs, lobsters and whelks continue to be landed. Follow the road through the village then the track beyond. The coast flattens out, with low rocks and shingle merging into fields before rising to the higher ground, the Lang Rig, followed by the old coach road and the present A92. Some distance to the south, past the inset sandy sweeps of Montrose and Lunan Bay, the red sandstone cliffs of Red Head can be seen jutting into the North Sea. Continue to a signpost indicating an inland path up on to the Lang Rig to join the old coach road. It's possible to reduce the length of the walk by taking this path if time is pressing. However, continuing along the coast brings you to a row of cottages at Haughs of Benholm. Turn right, go through a metal barrier and up to the main road. Turn left, cross with care and follow the signs to Benholm and Mill of Benholm. This restored watermill was used in the television adaptation of Gibbon's novel Sunset Song. It's open to the public and has a welcome tea-room too. Continue on the road to the bridge over the Burn of Benholm. Just before the bridge turn right on to a track that leads up past Nether Benholm Farm. This is the old coach road from Inverbervie. The track ascends straight up to the top of Gourdon Hill, with its ancient long cairn. Proximity to the old road means the long cairn will likely have been long since plundered, leaving little but a grassy hump surrounded by a wire fence with a gate. However, the ancients knew where to bury and commemorate their dead - the view from the track is well worth the effort. The coast snakes out to the south, while the hills and glens of Lower Deeside and the Mearns dominate to the west and north-west. Straight ahead lies Inverbervie, backed with the cliffs of Craig David. Inverbervie was made a royal burgh in 1341 after a young king David I landed there during a storm on his return from France, and the crags have borne his name ever since. Follow the track down to the main road, cross over and turn left. Drop down on to the old road and follow it into Inverbervie. Turn right into Castle Terrace, then right again on to the road leading back down to the car park.
