Work to replace Stonehaven’s scenic beach boardwalk will begin next week.
The pathway was first installed 20 years ago and has started to show its age, with some of the wooden boards now broken or loose.
Aberdeenshire Council has decided to replace the entire boardwalk, and specialist machinery will be used to do the initial groundwork next week.
Landscapers will then be drafted in to plant new greenery later in the year.
Sections of the boardwalk between Backies car park up to the River Carron will be closed off to ensure safety, but council bosses have vowed to have it reopened as quickly as possible.
Once complete, the walkway will feature two new seating areas, thanks to Stonehaven Men’s Shed.
There are also plans to erect new finger-pointer signs along the seafront from the open-air pool to the harbour as well as new information and interpretation boards along this stretch.
The boards will provide more information on the town’s attractions, history and the natural sealife that inhabits its waters.
Funding for the project has come from various sources, including £265,000 from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre fund and £45,000 from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.