Date of Walk

Sunday 19th May

Distance
Ascent
OS Map
Time
Depart

13 km, 8miles
150 m, 490 ft
Landranger 44
5 hrs
10.00

From the car park at Glentanar House, we take the track following the Tanar water as far as the Porphyry Bridge where we cross and turn south following the Allachy water round the Strone. We soon join the Firmounth track which leads us back to St Lesmo’s Chapel and on to Braeloine Visitor Centre where we should find our transport. This glen is full of artefacts created by an eccentric previous laird; look out for them.

Date of Walk

Monday 20th May

Distance
Ascent
OS Map
Time
Depart

9.5 km, 6 miles
200 m, 650 ft
44
4 hours
10.00

A hill that is too often overlooked, Craigendarroch offers wonderful walking and views. This walk will take us round and over the hill, followed by a level walk along the banks of the river Dee back to Ballater.

Date of Walk

Tuesday 21st May

Distance
Ascent
OS Map
Time
Depart

This is a lovely walk in the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. We start at the Burn O'Vat Centre and follow a very attractive path anticlockwise round Loch Kinord with its abundant wildlife and Pictish artefacts. A detour takes us onto an old drove road that used to run between Tarland and Ballater and we follow this for a short way before making our way down the valley of the Vat and back to our starting point.

Date of Walk

Wednesday 22nd May

Distance
Ascent
OS Map
Time
Depart

8.5 km, 5 miles
150 m, 490 ft
45
4 hours
10.00

At Shooting Greens car park we take an undulating path skirting the southern edge of Blackhall Forest giving fine views over Feughside. Emerging onto open moorland below the Hill of Goauch, a path leads towards Scolty Hill. We follow the gentlest route up to General Burnett’s Monument, with the option of climbing to the top if time, weather and energy levels permit. Descending by a different route, we join a track through woodland to Scolty car park. We continue downhill onto a minor road which shortly meets the B974. A roadside footpath takes us to the Bridge of Feugh to view the waterfalls.

Date of Walk

Thursday 23rd May

Distance
Ascent
OS Map
Time
Depart

8km, 5 miles
100 m, 330 ft
44
3.5 hours
10.00

This gentle walk through the beautiful policies of Balmoral will yield a multitude of fascinating sights, from the Castle itself to some of Victoria’s statues and cairns marking significant events in her life. There are wonderful views to be had from several vantage points throughout the walk .

Date of Walk

Friday 24th May

Distance
Ascent
OS Map
Time
Depart

10 km, 6 miles
50 m, 160 ft
44
4 hours
10.00

We start at Mill of Sterin, near the Duke of Rothsay’s home of Birkhall and make our way by the public road as far as Glen Muick Estate’s West Lodge. Here we take to the estate roads leading past the site of the now demolished Glen Muick House and the remains of its chapel before rejoining the public road at the Bridge of Muick. We follow this road for a short way , then branch off to follow another track leading to the Polhollick Bridge. We cross the River Dee here and head towards Ballater on the path alongside the A93, ending up following the track bed of the railway that was intended to go to Braemar.

Date of Walk

Sunday 19th May

Distance
Ascent
OS Map
Time
Depart

20km, 12.5 miles
300 m, 1000 ft
43
6 hours
09.00

This walk starts at the Victoria Bridge and passes through the policies of Mar Lodge to the Linn of Quoich where we take the track up the east side of the glen. After a few miles the track peters out and a short stage of “heather hopping” takes us to the path leading down through Glen Sluggan (the Fairy Glen), past the ruins of Sluggan Lodge and on to Invercauld House. A final section on paved road takes us to our transport at the Keiloch. Keep an eye open for Capercaillie and Ring Ouzel.

Date of Walk

Monday 20th May

Date of Walk

Tuesday 21st May

15 km, 9.5 miles
510 m, 1670 ft
44
5 hours
09.00

This is a high level route with excellent views over the hills around Ballater. The start point is near the Linn of Muick and immediately we start climbing, following a Landrover track up onto Creag Dearg, passing on the way an old ruined settlement. The tracks continue along the plateau past Cairn Hillock and Cairn Leuchan before dropping down the Pollagach Road to Balintober and hence back to Ballater.

Date of Walk

Wednesday 22nd May

This ridge walk with wonderful views starts on the boundary of the Cairngorms National Park and follows a track to the Lazy Wells on the ridge between Deeside and Donside. From here we follow another track leading along the ridge which culminates at the summit of Pressendye. We shall descend the south face of the hill to end up in the pleasant village of Tarland.

Date of Walk

Thursday 23rd May

Starting at Crathie, our route takes us over the River Dee and towards the village of Easter Balmoral. A short walk through the trees leads us out onto the open moorland with splendid views towards Lochnagar. We may visit Gelder Shiel, one of the royal lodges, then follow the Gelder Burn, climbing steadily for a few kilometres to the col at the top of the Allt na Guibhsaich. We follow this stream down almost to its confluence with the River Muick then on to the Visitor Centre where we pick up our transport. We should get good sightings of red deer stags and perhaps blackcock in these final stages.

Date of Walk

Friday 24th May

From the car park at Howton we follow tracks leading to the top of Tap o’ Noth, an Iron Age vitrified hill fort which affords panoramic views on a clear day. We strike off in a northerly direction to join a forest track towards Cat Craig then along the ridge to Hill of Kirkney where we explore the old slate quarries. We return to our start point via tracks on the west side of the hills, taking a brief detour to the Cairn of Milduan (an old kiln).

Date of Walk

Sunday 19th May

Starting from the Forest of Birse Church and passing Ballochan, we join the Fungle over its summit and down to meet the Firmounth. We follow the Firmounth coming up from Glen Esk and then follow it up and over Tampie and the summit of Gannoch before heading down into Glentanar. The route through Glen Tanar is down through ancient Caledonian pinewood and will be a highlight. Soon we pass St Lesmo’s Chapel and the Braeloine Visitor Centre where we pick up our transport.
Droving was big business here and we can imagine the scenes in the past with huge herds of cattle moving to southern markets over both the Fungle and Firmounth routes.

Date of Walk

Monday 20th May

This walk starts at Rothiemurchus and picks up the Lairig path. Soon we pass beneath the high majestic crags of Lurcher’s on one side and Braeriach on the other. The summit of the route at 835m is soon passed and the Pools of Dee indicate that we are now heading down into Glen Dee. The Garbh Coire looms high on our right as we pass the Tailors’ Stone then Corrour Bothy. We carry on round Carn a’ Mhaim and cross the Luibeg Burn then join the track at Derry Lodge en route to the Linn of Dee car park. This is a very challenging walk with a rich history, with stories of local and social significance, mountaineering history and natural heritage.

Date of Walk

Tuesday 21st May

Although we have climbed Lochnagar many times and by many routes, we have omitted the most obvious approach. This year we will rectify that by taking the route from the Spittal of Muick car park via the Allt na Guibhsaich and Jacob’s Ladder up to the summit.. Our return will be by the Glas Allt, passing Queen Victoria’s “ widow’s house” on our way back to the car park. The views and wildlife should be outstanding.

Date of Walk

Wednesday 22nd May

Distance
Ascent
OS Map
Time
Depart

This walk takes us through a previously well populated area and we shall pass many old habitations with their associated stories. We start at the Black Bridge in Glen Gairn and make our way up to Glenfenzie farm, then on to the site of Morven Lodge before climbing the remarkably grassy slopes of Morven. Our descent to Balhennie is via the Roar Road, an old peat road that the minister of Glen Gairn used when visiting his parishioners in the Braes of Cromar.

Date of Walk

Thursday 23rd May

The Linn of Dee is the starting point for this strenuous walk. We head up Glen Lui, crossing the bridge over the Lui Water and then to Derry Lodge. Our route follows the Lairig Ghru Right of Way up Glen Luibeg to the Robbers’ Copse and turning north following the east bank of the Luibeg Burn. Sron Riach ridge will be our path to the plateau and the summit of Ben Macdui. At 1309m, this is the second highest peak in Britain and is a grand vantage point to view the high tops of the Cairngorms. We return by the same route. We will witness the removal of deer fencing, a sign of changing land management priorities for the estate.

Date of Walk

Friday 24th May

This is an opportunity to summit a seldom visited hill with a grand view of the high Cairngorms. We start at the Linn of Dee and there is immediately some “heather bashing” as we make our way to the summit of Sgor Dubh, then along the ridge to Sgor Mor on easier ground. We then descend to Rinacula at the back of beyond and down to the White Bridge en route to the Linn of Dee. This is an area rich in history, with artefacts being uncovered in recent years. For those who are that way inclined, Sgor Mor is a Corbett.