This was the most easterly route over the Mounth or Grampian mountains, which probably existed in the twelfth century. It formed the main highway between Stonehaven and Aberdeen until the arrival of the turnpike roads. It was originally known as the Cowie Mounth after the village of Cowie where it started, but acquired the name Causey Mounth from the elevated sections or causeways (or calsies) which were built to carry the road over boggy ground.

A large part of this ancient road is still in use today from Badentoy, past Banchory-Devenick crossroads to the South Deeside road, where there was once a ferry to complete the journey to Aberdeen. The old embankment made from boulders and rubble is plain to see in some places. The section between Leggart Terrace in Aberdeen and the northern boundary of Portlethen golf course has recently been sign posted as a tourist route, and the District Council would eventually like to open the whole route to Stonehaven. However, one of the most interesting and easily walked sections of the route lies between Muchalls and Portlethen. This can be joined at several points and followed in either direction.

The whole round trip is about five miles, but the route is here described in three easily defined sections, from south to north. The routes are generally dry, on roads or tracks. Boots advisable after rain.

MUCHALLS TO WINDYEDGE

By the time of publication, St. Ternan's Church should have a new car park, designed to be used by both the church congregation and walkers on the Causey Mounth. Meanwhile, if you are starting from Muchalls phone box, walk directly to the dual carriageway, cross and take the road to Cookney. This takes you past the Episcopal Chapel of Muchalls (St. Ternan's Church) which was erected in 1831. (There had been previous chapels in and beside Muchalls Castle, since 1624). The chapel is dedicated to St. Ternan, a 5th century Celtic missionary who preached in this area. In the last century all of Skateraw and most of Muchalls were Episcopalian. The church seated 175 and every member paid what he could for a seat. Weddings were conducted there but no burials; coffins would have to be carried by mourners all the way to Cowie churchyard. The church bell belonged to an old ship wrecked at sea, and was found and presented by Cowie fishermen in 1847. The parsonage was built some nine years after the chapel. During that time the minister had a cottage in the grounds of Berryhill House which we come to later in this walk. Two hundred yards after passing the church, where the Cookney road turns sharp left, you should continue straight down a track along a line of spruce trees past Burn of Pheppie Farm. Through the gate to the left of the drive you reach the actual Pheppie burn, which reaches the coast at Muchalls over a waterfall and which you can cross by a bridge or, when the river is low, a ford. At the other side of the stream, continue your walk, bearing right through the yard of Nether Cairnhill Farm shown as being part of the Elsick estate on 18th century maps. A gravel track leads up between the fields to join the Newtonhill to Cookney road at Windyedge. High on the hill to your left stands Cookney Church, a local landmark. The first church on this site was built in 1816 to accommodate 400 sitters. It is amazing to think that it was found to be too small and funds were raised to increase the capacity to 700. The present church was built in 1885. Cookney had its own school too, until 1963 when Newtonhill Primary School opened to serve the whole area. At Windyedge you have the choice of continuing to follow the Causey Mounth or turning right towards Newtonhill, passing the old Cairnhill school on your right. This is now a private house. It was established by Dr Morrison, minister of Banchory-Devenick and the owner of the Elsick Estate at the time. He provided a schoolroom, lodging for the teacher with a garden and also as an annual salary the interest on £100. By crossing the flyover, you can return to Muchalls along the track beside the dual carriageway, or more pleasantly, over the moor.

WINDYEDGE TO BOURTREEBUSH

This is the most attractive section, a grassy track passing between clumps of gorse, brambles and wild raspberries. The banks are full of wild flowers including purple vetch and speedwell. In the fields are rooks, gulls and oyster catchers and overhead you should see skylarks and lapwings. As you go down the hill there are fine views to the north towards Bowel's monument on Auchlee Hill, built by a widow in memory of her husband, a soldier and farmer, and the tree-covered slopes of Clochandichter (545 ft). At the bottom of the hill there is an old bridge over the Elsick Burn dating from the 18th century. There have been a considerable number of young trees planted here which should in time give attractive woodland. The track now goes past Gillybrands Farm, which derives its name from Jeally Bran's, an old coaching inn where horses could be changed on the difficult road between Stonehaven and Aberdeen. There was certainly a farm here as long ago as the mid 18th century, as Jeelybrands is mentioned as one of the 10 lots feued from the Elsick estate in 1760. As you continue up the hill, you will pass on your left the long drive up to Elsick House, historic home of the lairds of the Elsick estate, the Bannerman family, since the 14th century. Although the oldest part of the house may date from that time, most of the building is more recent. There was a period of about 100 years from 1756 when the house and lands were sold out of the Bannerman family, but they were bought back by the 9th baronet and descended through the female line to the present owner, the Duke of Fife. Beside some modern bungalows, you reach the road to Cammachmore, which means "big bend" of a stream in Gaelic. At this point you can carry on with the walk or you can turn right to Newtonhill, passing the former Bourtreebush church. (The name refers to the bourtree or elderberiy bushes once planted hereabouts.) This was built in 1848 and served the local Church of Scotland congregation until the present church was built in Newtonhill. It has now been converted into a house. Next door stands the huge old manse. You will soon reach what used to be the main Aberdeen to Stonehaven road, where you have a choice of routes: The quickest way is to turn right, past the Cammachmore Hotel, built on the site of an old Post Office and merchant's store and in earlier times called the

BOURTREEBUSH TO BERRYHILL

The old Causey Mounth road is tarmacked at this point. It is a very straight leafy lane, lined with sycamores and elms, brambles and wild raspberries. On the left you will pass an attractive wood of established Scots pines, home to wood pigeons, bluetits, chaffinches and, in the summer, willow warblers. About quarter of a mile from the cross-roads on the left among the trees stands Berryhill House, a large red building, which was one of the 10 lots feued from the Elsick estate in 1756, for a rental of £98. At the gate, you should continue straight on as the Causey Mounth again becomes a grassy track. In the fields to your right you should look out for a single Pictish standing stone, dating from the Bronze Age. The path becomes single track between the broom, gorse, brambles and honeysuckle and can become rather overgrown in the summer months but is perfectly passable. There are oak and elm trees and well-established conifers lining the path and in the fields on your right some attractive mature beech trees. The track brings you out on the road between Portlethen and Netherley. To return to Newtonhill you could turn right, but this would mean walking back for some way alongside the busy A90, before turning left though East Cammachmore. A better alternative would be to retrace your footsteps as far as Bourtreebush and continue as in walk 5b above. For more information on the old Causey Mounth road you may be interested to read Archibald Watt's Highways and Byways round Kincardine. Gourdas House Publishers, Aberdeen, 1985.