Walk One – The Broch (Burghead Town and Pictish Fort)
Character of the Walk:
Broad gridiron streets and narrow lanes with traditional terraced houses, a rocky shore full of waders and sea birds, ramparts
and grassland banks of the pictish fort with its vantage point across the Firth, and the harbour with its fishing boats and
historic warehouses.
Distance:
Approx 2/3 of a mile – a short and fascinating walk.
Average Time:
40 minutes.
Walking Surfaces:
Roads around the town and grassy tracks around the fort. Take care on the steps by the fort’s north-western edge leading down
to Granary Street and the Harbour.
Disabled Access:
A surfaced path follows the backshore. Town streets are easily negotiable, as are routes around the Harbour. There is a path
to the centre of the ‘Citadel’ in the heart of the Fort, which is accessible with care. The Burghead Well is inaccessible
to wheelchair users because of its stepped and steep incline.
Parking:
Street parking in Burghead and below the Salmon Green. Former car parking space in the Fort is no longer available except
for disabled parking.
Toilets:
There are public conveniences below the Harbour Master’s office at the eastern end of the Harbour.
Refreshments:
There is a Spar shop and a post office and there are 3 licensed hotels near the top of Grant Street and Granary Street serving
food and refreshments.
Waymarking:
The Burghead Well in King Street is waymarked from Grant Street and Bath Street and the Fort has several panels illustrating
the life and times of the Pictish citadel. The local library in Grant Street has a display of information and artefacts from
the Fort. Brown and white waymarks and signs show the way, so do explore.
Walk Two – Twixt Laich and Sea (Clarkly Hill and St Aethans Shore)
Character of the Walk:
A gentle climb through farmland and rough pasture to spectacular views of the Firth and the Moray Moorlands, followed by a
return to the town along a rocky shore with rock arches, sea birds and high crags.
Distance:
Two circular walks, one 2 miles and a longer 3 mile option.
Average Time for a Gentle Stroll:
35 to 40 minutes for the shorter walk and 1½ hours for the longer option.
Walking Surfaces:
Road pavements and tarmac from the Salmon Green to the cottages of Clarkly Hill, rough grass tracks to Cummingston, and a
steep back road surface to the eastern end of the village for the longer route, and return by a reconstructed railway track
from Cummingston to Burghead next to the rocky shore.
Disabled Access:
The public roads through Burghead from the Salmon Green and the lane from Burghead to Clarkly Hill cottages are all negotiable.
Parking:
By the information board on the Salmon Green. There is limited parking space by Clarkly Hill cottages. Formal viewpoint and
playground car park at the end of Seaview Road in Cummingston.
Toilets:
Public conveniences at Burghead Harbour and two individual WCs in the Cummingston viewpoint car park.
Refreshments:
There is a Spar shop and a post office and there are 3 licensed hotels near the top of Grant Street and Granary Street serving
food and refreshments.
Waymarking:
Look for wooden posts marked with arrows and finger posts with round incised discs marked with the Burghead Bull.
Walk Three – The Burma Road (Forest Walks and Burghead Bay)
Character of the Walk:
A forest track through the pine covered sand dunes of Roseisle Forest to open land and glades full of wild flowers and butterflies
in summer, following the narrow Millie Burn, and returning by the sandy beach of Burghead Bay to the start.
Distance:
Approx 4 miles.
Average Time:
2 hours for a stroll and 1 hour for a brisk walk.
Walking Surfaces:
A combination of sand, compacted gravel and close cropped grass. There is a footbridge at the mouth of the Millie Burn.
Disabled Access:
Although most sections of the path are fairly level, surfaces are probably not suitable for wheelchairs.
Parking:
By the information board on the Salmon Green or next to the Burghead Caravan Park.
Toilets:
Public conveniences are at Burghead Harbour and the Roseisle Forest car park and picnic site, but none along the route.
Refreshments:
There is a Spar shop and a post office and there are 3 licensed hotels near the top of Grant Street and Granary Street serving
food and refreshments in Burghead itself. Barbecue facilities exist in the Roseisle Forest car park.
Waymarking:
Posts with blue band and the Burghead Bull symbol.