Geo-Trips :: Orton and Dipple
Speyside
A walk from Inchberry, Tue, 16 Feb 2021 by Anne Burgess
We set off to explore some more of the roads around Orton. Our route took us past Bruntlands and down through the deer farm to the bank of the River Spey, then back via St Mary's and Main of Orton. Someone told us about a handy path through the woods near Bruntlands that saved us walking along the B9015 road. Although the air temperature hoad soared since the weekend, when there were cars getting stuck and even buried in snowdrifts, there was still no shortage of snow and ice to vary the scenery, but suddenly there were also swathes of snowdrops.
Click the blue circles to see a photograph taken from that spot and read further information about the location. The blue lines indicate the direction of view. There is also a slideshow of this trip. ( )
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Bruntlands Steading
The steading has been converted and is available for holiday lets.
Bruntlands Steading
The converted steading at Bruntlands is available for holiday lets.
Lower Bruntlands
The cottage at Lower Bruntlands has been renovated and is available for holiday lets.
Steading at Lower Bruntlands
The steading at Lower Bruntlands must have been altered at some point by the... more
Bruntlands
A view of the house at Bruntlands across partly snow-covered fields.
Residual Snowdrifts
The snow was blown into drifts over the weekend, and the surface of the snow shows... more
Inchberry
The farm on the brae is Rosehill.
Neospora Risk
This was something neither of us had ever heard of. It turns out that Neospora is... more
Flood Plain Fields
The 'panorama' function of the camera gives an indication of the wide space of the... more
Deer Farm
These are some of the deer being farmed at Burnside of Dipple. The River Spey is... more
Road through the Deer Farm
The very high fences along this road are necessary to keep the deer in the fields.
Red Deer
These are some of the deer in one of the fields at Burnside of Dipple.
New Building at Burnside
I take this to be some sort of barn or shed for livestock.
Burnside Cottages
Two farm cottages with matching new extensions, available for holiday lets.
Burnside of Dipple
The farm buildings and cottages from the other side of a recently ploughed field.
A Redundant Gate
The gate leaning against the beech trunk isn't likely to keep anything in - or out.
New Road
The River Spey having removed part of the fishers' road access to the bank here,... more
Gap in the Road
Apart from the much higher level of the River Spey, there's not a lof of change... more
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
I know they're not native, but I always get a great kick from seeing them... more
Stray Boulder
I have speculated before about how this boulder got here. If it were an erratic,... more
St Mary's Chapel
The mausoleum stands on the site of an older chapel of St Mary. It was built in... more
Wharton-Duff Mausoleum
The mausoleum stands on the site of an older chapel of St Mary. It was built in... more
Snowdrifts at St Mary's
Some of the weekend's snowdrifts still line the road to St Mary's.
Access to St Mary's Mausoleum
A grassy avenue across the fields leads to the gate of St Mary's Chapel. The farm... more
St Mary's Cottage
A cottage orné by Thomas Mackenzie of Elgin, built in 1854 according to the... more
Carved Corbel
This is one of a pair of corbels carved into faces at the ends of the tracery... more
Chapel Cottage
After seeing the front elevation of St Mary's Cottage, it was quite a shock to... more
Road to St Mary's Cottage
The logs stacked at either side of the road have been there for a little while,... more
Flooding in Darnet Wood
Not an alluring prospect for a nice walk at the moment.
Mystery Enclosure
The gate is made with old horseshoes but I have no idea what it is for.
East Lodge
A traditional house with a smart new porch/conservatory.
Cheese Press
At least, that's what I assume it to be. It stands at the end of a range of... more
Mains of Orton
Work in progress in and around an old barn or byre.
Mains of Orton
The west range of buildings at Mains of Orton.
Frozen Flood
Despite the temperature being in double figures this morning, the ice on the... more
Carra Burn
The burn passes through the west end of Darnet Wood.
Bridge over the Carra Burn
The bridge carries a drive to Orton House over the Carra Burn in Darnet Wood.
Snowdrops at North Lodge
The best carpet of snowdrops I have seen so far this year.
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
Part of the carpet of snowdrops at North Lodge, Orton.
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
One of many clumps near Orton North Lodge.
North Lodge and Gate Piers
One of the entrances to Orton House.
Woodland Path
This path isn't shown on the maps, but it is a very handy off-road shortcut... more
Woods at Inchberry
Mixed deciduous woodland, thickly carpeted with last year's beech leaves.
Woodland Path
The informal path was created and is maintained by a local resident. The route is... more
Tree Stump with Fungi
The stump of a dead birch tree, with several bracket fungi.
Sunset
A stack of lenticular clouds at sunset. Pity about the fence.
Sunset
A fine red glow in the sky at sunset.
All images © Anne Burgess and available under a
Creative Commons licence 
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