Philorth by the Loch

The field adjacent to Philorth Halt is currently so badly flooded that the station appears to be by  the lochside.

Waterlogged fields by the Line at Philorth, looking south towards Rathen Station.

Logierieve: A Dastardly Deed

 Logierieve Station pictured on a sunny  day in June 2011.
The station is built on the site of a former dame's school.

Logierieve is to the west of the station. 

Rev William Temple, writing in The Thanage of Fermartyn, published in 1894, gives an interesting insight into the huge impact of the railway in transforming rural Aberdeenshire and relieving the isolation of many settlements. 

'Logierieve is situated on a rising ground overlooking what in days of old was called the 'Great Moss of Logierieve'. The prospect used to be very somber, but now with the railway trains continually passing and repassing, its solitariness has been much relieved.' 

In the 17th century Logierieve, then known as Logieruiff was the home of William Hay. Hay's brother Francis had been involved in a long drawn out and acrimonious quarrel  with his former friend, Adam Gordon of Gight, twice during the course of the disagreement swords were drawn and twice  Hay was  overcome by Gordon who twice spared him.  However, the quarrel  culminated in Adam Gordon being shot in the back by  the riled Hay.  Gordon of Gight, brother of Adam,  then took matter's into his own hands, rode to Logieruiff  and without obtaining a warrant ,proceeded to seize Francis Hay, took him to Aberdeen  where he was  imprisoned  in his own lodgings in the Gallowgate, 'The Bonnie Wifie's Inn'. After being imprisoned there for forty-eight hours , Hay was brought before the Sheriff Depute of the city, a Gordon clansman. This was a highly irregular trial at which Hay was unrepresented, death threats having been made to an advocate who offered to act for him. At the trial Hay was condemned to be beheaded and next day 'was led to a solitary spot and butchered by the swords of his enemies'.  William Temple,  Thanage of Fermertyn, Aberdeen 1894.

On the south side of the station the Line cuts through Logierieve Wood and is flanked by willows which provided pleasant shade on the day we walked this section..