The Airlie Memorial Tower on Tulloch Hill at the foot of Glen Prosen is a familiar landmark from miles around, but the climb to it is all too brief, writes Alan Rowan.
When combined with a lower-level circuit around the nearby village of Cortachy, however, it provides a satisfying walk packed with history and mystery which will keep the young ones entertained.
The small woodland car park about a mile up the Prosen road from Dykehead is the starting point. On the bend just before the entrance, there is the impressive Scott-Wilson monument.
It was erected in memory of the Antarctic explorers Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Dr Edward Wilson who planned their ill-fated 1912 South Pole expedition at Wilson’s home in Glen Prosen, the nearby Burnside Cottage. The granite sculpture was commissioned in 2012 as a replacement for an existing monument.
Turning my attention to another monument, I followed the path that twisted up through the trees before taking a left at a marker post for the last climb to the foot of the Airlie Tower.
This was built in 1901 in memory of David Ogilvy, the ninth Earl of Airlie, who was killed in the Boer War the previous year while leading the 12th Lancers at Diamond Hill, near Pretoria.
The tower is in a poor state of repair – it is not possible to go inside – and care should be taken while walking round its base in case of loose stonework.
On a clear day the views are wonderful: I had the snow-capped hills of the Angus glens to the north while to the south, the Tay was buried under an icy morning mist, the land above and below appearing through a layer of gauze.
I wandered on a little further to a higher viewpoint to capture the tower as a silhouette against the pale streaked sky, and it’s possible to keep going for a greater distance but that would be for another day. Instead I dropped back to the path junction and headed east.
The going was muddy and sometimes indistinct, but there were occasional markers and I soon reached a forestry road. The ground on the other side had been clear-felled but another marker pointed the way through the chaos and brought me to a hillside cemetery.
I kept left of the enclosing wall and, at the other side of a small parking area, went back into the wood on the right. This brought me out on the Clova road. I was able to stay on the grass verge most of the way down to the next turning point just before Dykehead.
A path contoured gently round field boundaries, eventually dropping to a wooden bridge. I crossed to turn south again on a path along the side of the River South Esk, passing an island and the remains of two bridges which were destroyed a few years ago, to reach the road bridge at Cortachy. It’s possible to carry on further along the river bank where you can sit and enjoy a better view of Cortachy Castle.
The castle is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a little drummer boy who was thrown to his death from the highest tower because he failed to warn of an approaching enemy force. His last words were a curse on the Ogilvys, and when his drum is heard it is said to be an omen of an impending death in the family.
I headed uphill through the village and then followed the quiet road back to Dykehead, turning left at a phone sign to pass some cottages. The tarred surface became a track which curved round the side of Mile Hill and the open views to the distant hills are wonderful.
The track emerged at the Scott-Wilson memorial, but just below this was a derelict cottage, once the home of the parents of the opera star Dame Nellie Melba. There have been claims she was born there just before the family emigrated to Australia.
Route
1. Take main path uphill from small woodland car park, turn left at marker post to climb out of the trees to Airlie Tower.
2. Head north for short distance to 387m point for views north and south, then return to tower and follow path back down to junction.
3. Turn left (marker posts at various points) to reach a forestry road, cross and follow next marker through felled area to reach cemetery.
4. Keep left of cemetery wall, pass through parking area with information board, and take woodland path on right which curves round to emerge on road to Glen Clova.
5. Keep heading south (mostly on verges) and just before Prosen road junction, turn left (marker) into woodland.
6. Follow path round fields until it turns north to wooden bridge.
7. Cross bridge and turn right to follow path south by river until you reach stone bridge on minor road at Cortachy.
8. Follow road past castle gates uphill through village and take right fork on road to Dykehead.
9. Before Glen Prosen junction (beside phone sign), turn left and walk past cottages on tarmac then track that runs for 3km to emerge at Scott-Wilson memorial, and cross back to parking.
The Lowdown
Distance: 10km/6 miles
Ascent: 300m/984ft
Time: 3-4 hours
Grading: Woodland paths, tracks and some road walking. Roads quiet but take care. Easy walk suitable for all ages. Can be muddy in places, good footwear advised. Dogs under close control near farm livestock.
Start/finish: Woodland car park (Grid ref: NO 371606) near Scott-Wilson memorial on minor road to Glen Prosen from Dykehead.
Map: Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger Map 44 (Ballater & Glen Clova) and Map 54 (Dundee & Montrose); Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer sheet OL 381.
Tourist Information: VisitScotland, Dundee iCentre, 16 City Square, Dundee, DD1 3BG (Tel 01382 527527).
Public transport: Limited bus service to Dykehead (request stop).
