The Borgie Forest offers pleasant walks amongst the trees, wildflowers, bees and butterflies.
Following the A836 to the west, over the hills, as you come down the other side you enter the forested area of Borgie. Here you may see mysterious signs, pointing vaguely into heather moorland, for "Borgie Glen and The Unknown".
It might seem as if maybe no one got around to mapping the region properly but it is actually a pleasant walk out to a sculpture. With a relatively gentle incline and even footpath, it is a circular walk, taking about 15 minutes to reach the sculpture, so 30 minutes in total. Best done either on a bright sunny day or a windy day when the midges are less of a problem, the circular route can be approached either from the shorter but steeper left, anticlockwise path of the more gentle, longer right, clockwise direction.
The sculpture isn't directly on the circular path and requires a slight diversion and can be entirely missed it you are not paying attention! However, even without visiting the sculpture, the walk is a pleasant one with interesting things to see. The mixed species of trees, heather moorland, and wild flowers are a treat all summer, whilst from September there are an abundance of toadstools easy to spot from the path.
Between the trees it is possible to catch glimpses of Ben Loyal in the distance.
The sculpture itself, created by Kenny Hunter, is an artistic response to the stories, legends and oral traditions of the area. How you interpret it is up to you but its human, yet otherworldly form, standing in isolation is symbolic of sacrifice and exile, common themes of historical characters and folklore alike.
Having completed that walk, it is worth following the sound of running water to the small stream near the car park where the gloomy view through the dense trees and hillocks of moss are so perfectly fairy tale that they look as if they are a studio set for The Hobbit or similar.
Back on the A836 and towards the bottom of the hill, as you pass the old bridge, you will see Borgie Lodge Hotel signposted to the right and Borgie Broca signposted to the left. If you fancy a pleasant walk in the woods, take the left turn.
Here you will find plenty of parking and several mapped options for walks of different length in the forest. All of them have clear paths, although sometimes muddy in places, and none of them are particularly long or arduous.
The Millennium Forest Walk is a short circular walk that is worth a visit. In this instance, it is worth seeing the wood for the trees and seeking out some of the minute details, particularly the impressive miniature world of the moss growing along the stone wall.
The longer walks offer glimpses of nature, including burrowing bees, butterflies and wildflowers. With a walk over to the River Borgie, you may be lucky enough to spot an otter and with careful searching, you may find freshwater oyster shells, although don't bank on finding any pearls!
Notes for visitors with limited mobility:
There are designated walks in this area which are relatively level and well-marked but uneven in places and can be muddy.