Howford and the Peterhead to Banff Coach Road

Last week Grey Granite visited Howford Farm and learned of the old coach road from Peterhead to Banff which crosses the Ugie below the farm. Today she and Rufus decided to walk as much of the coach road as they could find, following directions given to them by the farmer at Howford. An account of Howford, the French Farm, is given on Grey Granite's other blog, Walking the Line at http://greygranitewalkingtheline.blogspot.com/ Strichen viaduct to the B9093: The French Farm.

The section of  road from Howford to Hillhead Farm has a concrete surface, the Ugie is below the road on the right

Milestone reading 14 (to Peterhead) situated on the side of the road furthest from the river just beyond the end of the first field.

Maple blossom. The road is lined with trees, predominately sycamore and beech but with some  maple, and horse chestnut.all are just starting to come into delicate new leaf.

Beyond Hillhead the road descends towards a wood and becomes more of a track

The road follows the contour of the Ugie valley, remaining well above the river. There were swans on the pools in the valley bottom and we could hear a buzzard calling. Unfortunately the mist refused to clear.

The road disappears at Middlethird Plantation where a burn flows through a den down to the Ugie.This is a stand of mixed planting bounded by beech trees.

We walked up both sides of the wooded den, crossing the burn by a footbridge and  coming upon what Grey Granite certain is a badger sett. Rufus was keen to confirm this...

We returned along the coach road to Howford and followed the road over the bridge, built in 1777 to replace a ford and footbridge, past two small disused limestone quarries and up to the Skillymarno Road.

There is an excellent view over Strichen to the White Horse and Hunter's Lodge on Mormond Hill from the highest point of the coach road. As we climbed up to the road a pair of buzzards was circling over head, mewling as they flew.