Welcome to Ballater Ballater, renowned for its Royal connections lies on a meander of the River Dee under the shelter of Craigendarroch. As you will see, Ballater is a very Ballater attractive village that has helped put the ‘Royal’ into Cairngorms Royal Deeside. Ballater is the nearest settlement to, National Park Paths and was the railhead for, Balmoral Castle, which lies eight miles along the River Dee to the west. Explore Deeside © VisitScotland
Ballater Paths A network of paths and tracks lead out of the village, For information on paths, local events, providing a variety of routes to enjoy with fine views, facilities and accommodation: a rich local history and abundant wildlife. This leaflet Visitor Information Centres: suggests 6 routes of varying length, all starting and finishing in Ballater so you can give the car a rest! Ballater: 01339 755 306 (open all year) Each colour-coded route is shown on the map and Crathie: 01339 742 414 there are corresponding coloured waymarkers along each route to help guide you. However, please take a Useful web sites: few minutes to read the route descriptions on the map www.visitballater.com before you set out, just to make sure that your chosen www.visitabdn.com route is suitable for you and others in your group. www.deesideway.org www.visitcairngorms.com Other Walks www.cairngorms.co.uk A visit to Ballater wouldn't be complete without visiting the Burn o’ Vat in the Muir of Dinnet National Nature If you enjoyed Ballater Paths then look out for Reserve and don't miss the nearby Cambus o’ May other Community Path Leaflets to help you forest with its wee lochans – a haven for dragonflies. explore more of the Cairngorms National Park. Deeside Way The River Dee An attractive walk following the old Deeside railway, The source of the Dee is about 4,000 feet high on the with fine views of the River Dee and surrounding side of Braeriach, one of the highest of the Cairngorm hills. The Aboyne and Deeside Railway Company Mountains. Famous as a great salmon river, the Dee wanted to build the line through to Braemar but tumbles past Ballater on its way to Aberdeen giving Queen Victoria was ‘not amused’ and said no! the river a total length of 85 miles. All of the paths So it ended at Ballater, but a stretch of trackbed in this leafet either pass close to the river or give west of the village is a reminder of the original plan. you more distant views. Be sure to watch for salmon leaping as they feed or make their way up the river. Forest Walks
Farquharson © VisitScotland / Jakub Iwanicki Monument Tullich Kirk and pictish stones
Suspension Bridge currently closed
Cambus o’ May Suspension Bridge The bridge, 6 kilometres east of Ballater, is currently NORTH closed pending repair, but the routes to it make rewarding trips. half mile On the north side of the Dee, walkers, cyclists, one kilometre and horse riders can follow the Deeside Way to the bridge and nearby forest walks. Alternatively, walkers can take pleasantly-wooded purple-waymarked Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO. © Crown Copyright and database right 2018. All rights reserved. paths and tracks south of the river. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100040965.
© Cairngorms National Park Authority 2018 Both routes are on the map above. © Aberdeenshire Council Seven Bridges Circular Walk Deeside Way Discover the old railway line to Bridge of Gairn before Follow the first part of the Deeside Way out of following the banks of the Gairn and Dee then crossing Ballater to Cambus o'May along the old railway line. the impressive Polhollick Bridge. A great route to enjoy Ballater Mostly wide, smooth, views over Glen Muick and Pannanich Hill. 5 miles / firm path. Short even 8 kms (return) Mostly earthy and 5.5 miles / sections at the start. Allow surfaced paths with some 9 km Some sections can be 2 hrs Paths sections of narrow rough Allow damp after heavy rain. and rocky paths, steps 3 hrs and the bridge. A short Pannanich Woods Circular section of tarmac road and road crossings. Discover the old Canadian logger’s camp in the woods and learn all about their role in the second world war. Craigendarroch Circular Short section of moderate 1.5 miles / slope with firm earth path 2.5 km Paths wind their way through the oakwoods of that can be muddy after Allow Craigendarroch rewarding you with beautiful views heavy rain. Sections 1 hr of Lochnagar and the Cairngorms from the summit. of wide firm forestry Mostly wide earthy paths 2 miles / road and pavement. with some sections of 3.2 km narrow rough and rocky Allow paths, sections of steep 2 hrs © Faye Swan uneven steps. Milton of Tullich
Bridge Creag of Meggan Gairn
Watch out for golf balls – please avoid Mackenzie walking on the Memorial golf course Help conserve Capercaillie Please help conserve capercaillie in Pannanich Woods by keeping your dog under close control and on the paths from March through half mile to the middle of August. one kilometre NORTH
Golf Course Walk Explore the Dee on this beautiful riverside walk. Mostly wide earthy paths 2 miles / with some sections of 3.2 km narrow rough and rocky Allow paths, one section of steep 1.5 hrs uneven path. Not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies.
Mackenzie Memorial Walk Explore beautiful birch woods and soak up the view at the Mackenzie Memorial. Mostly wide firm stone 0.75 miles / path and firm forest road 1.3 km Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO. one short section of © Crown Copyright and database right 2019. All rights reserved. Allow Ordnance Survey Licence number 100040965. narrow rough rocky 45 mins
© Cairngorms National Park Authority. © Alistair Cassie earth path.