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By Berryhill, a farm on the outskirts of Westhill, Aberdeenshire
By Berryhill
Berryhill is a farm on the outskirts of Westhill. If you really want to stretch your legs, you can park in the town centre at the shopping centre, other local shops or swimming pool and walk up Westhill Drive. For a shorter walk you can park in the residential streets nearby, such as Meadowlands Drive, Hilltop Crescent (not much parking there, though), Westhill Heights, Hilltop Drive or Blacklaws Brae. You can also take the bus as there are bus stops near Meadowlands Drive and Hilltop Drive.
There are two ways to access the cache. You could walk up Blacklaws Brae and just before No. 15 a blacktop road goes off to the left. It is a nice walk as it is paved, but the hill is a bit steep. The alternative is to follow a track across from Meadowlands Drive up the hill. This is where the farmer takes in his farming equipment, so can be quite muddy at the bottom. Follow the trail up the hill until it joins the blacktop. Either way is popular with dog walkers and joggers. Whichever way you decide to go, sturdy walking shoes will be needed.
This is a very popular dog-walking area, so you can bump into dogs and their owners at any time. Not all dog owners tidy up, so you will have to look out just a bit. There is also evidence of fly tipping in the wee woods at the top of the hill. The views all around are stunning, though, so it is well worth the walk up the hill and turning a blind eye.
At the right times of year you can see daffodils galore, raspberries gone wild, sheep, cattle, pretty frosts and snow. If you continue along the blacktop away from the cache, you will be able to see Bennachie and Loch Skene. On your way back down, there are wonderful views over the houses of Westhill and towards Tyrebagger Forest and Brimmond Hill. There will likely be rabbits about at any time of year.
The cache is a bit off the blacktop road, and it is very uneven terrain (hence the sturdy walking shoes). Beware the rabbit holes, too. This year the nettles aren’t bad, but might have to be reckoned with in the future.
When placed the cache contained a Help for Heroes geocoin, a butterfly keychain, a magnetic clip, Continental wings and a purple and a red pen. This is my first cache, so I hope you enjoy it.
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