An eagerly-awaited community walking path and viewpoint was opened at Oldmeldrum yesterday.
The skirl of the pipes greeted the unveiling of the Whin Roadie walking path and viewpoint – the culmination of a £20,000 project – beside the B9170, Oldmeldrum to Methlick road.
This used to be the main route from Aberdeen to Banff until it was replaced by a more substantial and wider road in the 19th century.
As a result, it had largely been forgotten about by the local community and became overgrown.
However, the owner of the land gifted it to the Meldrum and Bourtie Heritage Society on the understanding the society would clear the path, make it wheelchair accessible and establish a viewpoint – thus creating a facility for the local community.
The finished path is a kilometre in length and the viewpoint, which is at the top of a small hill, provides excellent views over the Garioch Valley.
The two-year project, which was funded by local community group Making Meldrum Better and Aberdeenshire Council, commenced with the clearing of weeds and vegetation before the path was levelled and hardcore was laid on the route.
Several stone benches have also been created along the path.
The initiative was planned and managed by Doug Smith and the Meldrum and Bourtie Heritage Society has also nominated the Whin Roadie for the Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place Awards.
A society spokesperson said: “We nominated this project as we feel it is a significant addition to the amenities in the village, and as a way of recognising the achievements of the people who have worked on it – especially Doug Smith, the architect and project manager behind it all.
“The purpose of the heritage society is to advance the education of the general public in the local history of the community.
“As the Whin Roadie used to be the main Aberdeen to Banff road, it was in keeping with its purposes for the heritage society to create a path where the road was and put explanatory panels by the viewpoint to give the history of the road to users of the path.”
