EFFORTS TO RESTORE one of the most enduring landmarks in Moray are being taken forward by members of a local community.
Years of neglect on the site of Castle Hill in Cullen led to overgrown greenery making the area unsightly – even if they view gained from the site remained as beautiful as it has always been.
Now a group has been formed that aims to return to the hill to being a place that tourists will be happy to spend some time on – something that has not been happening for decades according to local residents.
“We want to install new paths so that the hill can be accessible for wheelchairs,” Denis Paterson from the Cullen Past and Present group explained. He added: “That will cost around £20,000 – so now we are getting to work applying for grants – ultimately we are hoping to create a picnic area.”
The site is already looking vastly improved after the group carried out improvements works on the site – and support for their cause has arrived in the form of local MSP Stewart Stevenson, who recently visited the hill to discuss the situation with the group.
History shows that Castle Hill was once the site of a fort around the 11th Century. The hill remained a popular spot until the 1960’s when the pathways became overgrown and ultimately unpassable.