Day 265: Newburgh to Aberdeen
Distance: 15.25 miles
Ascent: 977 feet
Weather: Very Cold Start but Sunny
Accommodation: Lost Guest House, Aberdeen (Kindly Significantly Reduced)
Well something happened last night that I am surprised has taken this long to occur. I had been worried about dog walkers but at about 1:30 in the morning I was suddenly awake and I could hear booming music, a group of youngsters had obviously decided to have a Saturday night party in the dunes and were passing near my tent presumably on there way back either to a car or Newburgh. I just hoped either they didn’t notice the tent or more importantly weren’t to drunk to do something stupid. Fortunately, though they walked within meters of the tent I don’t think they noticed it and they didn’t pee on, jump on or accidentally trip over the tent.
Other than this incident I slept well but when I woke up it felt absolutely freezing, and on opening the tent flap it was very cold and there was actually the first frost on the ground within the dunes. This had taken me by surprise and for the first time since March the buff, warm hat and gloves were out and the not so nice memories of depitching the tent in these temperatures where by the end I can hardly feel my hands and it becomes increasingly difficult to do up the straps.
Though it was very cold, the sky was blue and the scenery as I headed through the dunes was beautiful. As I reached the beach and end of the River Ythan I came across a massive group of seals (many 100’s) basking on the sand and singing to each other. Such a lovely scene to start the day and with the sun now a bit higher and me walking I soon warmed up.
Today was a shorter day, I could actually see Aberdeen in the distance, but another beach fest with the first 11 miles or so being on the beach. This made for easy walking, and the wind had pretty much disappeared today. After 3 miles I was passing Trump International Golf Links and decided to clamber up the dunes to get a little look. I was surprised I had expected a massive brash clubhouse and caddies everywhere, but the clubhouse was very understated and actually aesthetically pleasing and the course itself merged into the dunes beautifully. It appears that though I may not agree with Trump on most policy, both his Scottish courses would be in the top 3 I have seen on the entire walk.
Anyway I rejoined the beach for another 6 miles or so and then decided to join a track just over the dunes that went across the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club and up to the Bridge of Don. I had thought I would get to the end of the day and then have a latish lunch but I was hungry as I crossed the River Don and there was a Lidl only 200m out of my way so I headed there. Lidl is such a treat on this walk cheap and with a great bakery section so perfect for a slightly different lunch. I walked back towards the turn off for the coast route into Aberdeen and sat on the first patch of grass to have my lunch. I got a shock when a few roe deer suddenly wandered nearby which seemed amazing how close to Aberdeen they were.
I was surprised how much I had been looking forward to Aberdeen and after lunch I had a short walk along the nice promenade into Aberdeen. The weather had been good today and I had a short walk through the granite city to the Lost Guest House who had kindly given me a significant reduction on a room for my rest day.
A simple, short, sunny day and I will now try to catch up on admin and get any items I need in Aberdeen.
