Discover Kemnay: paths, riverside scenery and heritage

Kemnay between the river and the paths

Kemnay lies on the River Don. Walks through the countryside, wildlife watching and riverside walks are among the activities described locally. The village offers different options for planning your trip: you can choose paths according to their destination, take in landscape art and local history, or explore Castle Fraser, which is nearby. This lets you tailor your stay to your interests.

Four routes, four different destinations

The Riverside Purple Route runs from the Village Hall to the riverbank via partly paved paths and high-quality gravel paths. Both the destination and the path surfaces are specified, so you can choose this route if you want to reach the riverbank and take the different surfaces into account when deciding.

The Place of Origin Green Route offers a different focus. Its optional climb leads to Place of Origin, where you can look out over the quarry, the village and the surrounding countryside. The route therefore differs from the one to the riverbank in its views and the option of a climb.

The Bishop's Palace Orange Route also starts at the Village Hall and leads through the Fetternear Estate to the historic Bishop's Palace. The Dalmadilly Ponds Dark Red Route, by contrast, focuses on paths around two Dalmadilly Ponds. The destinations clearly distinguish the routes: the riverbank, views of the quarry and countryside, a historic palace, or two ponds. This helps you choose a walk based on what you want to see.

Place of Origin and local history

Place of Origin is a landscape art project. Work began in 1996; it was completed in 2006 and officially opened by the Duke of Kent on 30 October 2006. The Green Route’s optional climb leads to Place of Origin and combines your route choice with views of the quarry, the village and the surrounding countryside. It is a distinctive highlight for anyone interested in the connection between designed landscapes and local history.

The Birley Bush Steen in the Birley Bush Community Garden in Kemnay features carvings depicting the old farming year, the changing seasons and the relationship between the Clyack and the Cailleach. Its west side depicts a Clyack sheaf—the last sheaf cut during the harvest. The motif connects the harvest year with the changing seasons.

The Kemnay Steens comprise nine new waymarker stones that highlight aspects of regional history and were created for the local path network in and around Kemnay. Granite from Kemnay offers another way to explore the area’s history: it was used for the Tower Bridge, the Forth Rail Bridge and the new Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The Steens therefore bring historical themes to the path network, while the examples of granite illustrate the material’s use in well-known structures.

Castle Fraser and Kemnay House

Castle Fraser is near Kemnay and is one of Scotland’s largest tower houses. The estate includes a traditional walled garden and extensive parkland. The building, garden and parkland are different aspects of this destination.

Kemnay House offers tours with tea in the drawing room from 1 pm to 5 pm. As operational details may change, please check the arrangements before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Aberdeen, Banff, Fettercairn, Macduff, Turriff, Pitmedden, Strathdon, Tyrie

For the wider travel guide: Aberdeenshire.