The Road to Drumnafunner is a journey through the secret history and legends of North-east Scotland, probing south to the Angus glens, north to Alford, on to Aberdeen, Buchan and Deeside, and over the sea to the Orkney and Shetland Isles. Beginning at Drumnafunner Farm, where the Donald family lived and where the poet Charles Murray – ’Hamewith’ – walked over the moors to school, the road winds its way through all sorts of intriguing places, uncovering the stories and characters associated with them.
Discover the Witch’s Cairn on Reekie Brae and meet Dame Ogilvy, a Doric poet who tells the story of Willie Wabster, chased through the hills by a lustful witch. Wander the glens and the old brown hills, including the North-east’s favourite hill – learn about its curious name and why you should take mittens to climb it. Encounter strange characters such as the Wild Warlock, the bold, bad Baron of Gartly and the Penniless Pilgrim, who sailed to Scotland in a paper boat and won the hearts of the Scots lairds. These are just some of the delights on the road to Drumnafunner; many more await those who follow Robert Smith along the length of its path.
Robert Smith is an Aberdonian and was for twenty-two years the editor of the Aberdeen Evening Express. He is the author of many books on the North-east, including Aberdeen Curiosities, Hidden City, A Queen’s Country, Grampian Curiosities, Buchan: Land of Plenty, The Road to Maggieknockater and Grampian Ways.
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