Scolty Tower

Visible from most places in Banchory, Scolty Tower is the finger pointing to the sky on the top of Scolty Hill across the River Dee from the town.

scolty tower02The Tower was built in memory of local man General William Burnett who fought alongside Wellington in the Napoleonic Wars. It was recently restored and is a popular viewpoint with both locals and visitors.

If you don't want to walk from the town centre there is car park at the entrance to Scolty Woodland Park. The route is clearly marked and from the car park it takes about 45 minutes to reach Scolty Hill summit and the Tower. The walk starts off fairly level through coniferous woodland and then begins to climb as the woodland gives way to open moor.

Scolty Hill is almost 300m high and the views from the top of the Tower are superb in every direction: eastwards down the Dee Valley towards Aberdeen and the sea, westwards to Morven, Mount Keen and Lochnagar, northwards towards Hill of Fare and Bennachie and southwards to Kerloch, Clachnaben and Mount Battock.