Whisky & Walking in the Cairngorms National Park
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WHISKY & WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK EXPLORING SPEYSIDE & THE CAIRNGORMS WHISKY AND WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK Walk through the heather covered hills, crystal clear streams and tranquil Caledonian Pine forests SUMMARY of the Cairngorms National Park and taste the world famous Speyside whiskies on this relaxed walking holiday. Starting in the easily accessible highland village of Aviemore at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, the route guides you through the naturally rich Spey valley. Wander through the fragrant Caledonian pine forests, home to the elusive capercaillie, and alongside riverside trails beside deep salmon rich waters and clear rushing burns. Traverse the purple heather clad moorland in the shadow of ice worn mountain summits, the haunt of regal stags, and discover a history of illicit whisky production along clandestine smugglers trails winding through wood and glen. Stumble across ruined castles on island lochs, enjoy a lively evening in a traditional highland inn and drink in the lochs, mountains and streams of the Cairngorm National Park. Nose and taste smoky whiskies at world famous distilleries such as Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Aberlour and learn of the intricate processes that produce the ’life blood of Scotland’. Tour: Whisky & Walking in the Cairn- Your adventure begins with two nights in Aviemore, the perfect base for walking in the Cairngorms gorms National Park National Park before you head north along the Spey River to peaceful Granton-on-Spey for a night. You Code: WSSWWC then continue right into the heart of Spey single malt country and spend two nights at both Ballindalloch Type: Self-Guided Walking Holiday and Craigellachie. Price: see website Single Supplement: see website Your self guided walking tour includes 7 nights hand-picked overnight accommodation in high quality Dates: March - October B&B’s, country inns, and guesthouses, door to door baggage transfers between accommodation, return Days: 6 walking days transfers from Craigellachie to Aviemore, transfer on day 5, a detailed information pack with turn by turn Nights: 7 nights route notes, detailed maps and heaps of useful information. Emergency support from our office in Grade: Easy to Moderate Scotland is of course included. IS IT FOR ME? This holiday provides the opportunity to escape HIGHLIGHTS to one of Scotland’s most beautiful areas. Walk through silent forest, along river trails and up into rugged mountain landscapes. Famed for Taste smoky Speyside whiskies and learn the whisky maker’s art the Speyside distilleries, the area is perfect for Walk through the fragrant Caledonian pine forest around Loch an Eileen both walker and whisky connoisseur. Watch Ospreys hunt at the Loch Garten Osprey Centre Follow the Glenlivet smugglers’ trails over the purple heather clad hills WHAT’S INCLUDED? Enjoy an impromptu ceilidh at a traditional highland Inn Accommodation: 7 nights in 3 - 4 star Stay in charming B&B and country inn accommodation B&B’s and small hotels. Meals: 7 breakfasts. Lunch and dinner not included but always available at accommo- WHY CHOOSE A SELF GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAY WITH US? dation or nearby. Baggage Transfer: Door-to-door baggage Macs Adventure is a small, energetic company dedicated to delivering adventure excellence. We have transfer. hand picked the best possible accommodation in order to make sure that you experience the best the Transfers: From Glenlivet to Ballindalloch Islands have to offer. We are passionate about delivering outstanding walking holidays where every last on day 5. From Craigellachie to Aviemore on day 8. detail is taken care of. Each holiday we offer is unique, tailor made to meet your requirements. From your Information Pack: Map and route notes first contact with Macs Adventure you will deal with a local specialist who knows the region intimately. will be supplied as well as a comprehensive information pack. WHISKY & WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK EXPLORING SPEYSIDE & THE CAIRNGORMS Overnight: Aviemore, 3 or 4 star guesthouse/ on-Spey, a traditional Scottish town dating from ITINERARY: WSSSWWC hotel the 1760s. DAY 2 The walk can be shortened by taking the Walking Days: 6 Strathspey Steam Railway to Boat of Garten or Nights: 7 Circular walk to Loch an Eilein Nethy Bridge. Average Daily Distance: 10 miles per day. From Aviemore you walk through the Walk: 11 - 17 miles / 17.7 - 27.4km, 5-7 hrs Grade: Easy to Moderate Rothiemurchus Forest to Loch an Eilein. This beautiful loch even has a ruined 14th century Overnight: Granton-on-Spey, 3 or 4 star Day Route Miles castle on an island, once the stronghold of the guesthouse/hotel ‘Wolf of Badenoch’, the third son of King Robert 1 Arrive Aviemore 0 II of Scotland. The famous cattle rustler or DAY 4 2 Circular walk to Loch 10 ‘reiver’, Rob Roy MacGregor, is also known to an Eilein Walk to Ballindalloch have used the loch and one side is known as 3 Walk to Granton-on- 11/17 ‘Robber’s Way’. A quiet day of walking through the rich forest and Spey tranquillity of the Spey River Valley. The 4 Walk to Ballindalloch 13 While it is certainly much quieter now, the Anagach pinewoods have been managed to 5 Walk to Glenlivet 7 ancient Caledonian pine forest is filled with the encourage the impressive strutting capercaillie. 6 Walk to Craigellachie 12 sounds of many rare and local birds, including This huge glossy green and black bird, a 7 Circular walk to Glen- 12 the endemic Scottish crossbill and the diminutive fiddich Distillery member of the grouse family, is very rare and crested tit. 8 Transfer to Aviemore local with a distinctive bubbling mating call that ends with a sound like a cork being drawn from a and onward travel Walk: 10 miles / 16km, 4-5 hrs bottle! Whisky fans can look forward to the Overnight: Aviemore, 3 or 4 star guesthouse/ Cragganmore Distillery at the end of the day. hotel DETAILED DESCRIPTION Walk: 13 miles / 21km, 6 hrs DAY 3 Overnight: Ballindalloch, 3 or 4 star DAY 1 Walk to Granton-on-Spey guesthouse/hotel Arrive Aviemore and overnight Following the Speyside Way you leave Aviemore DAY 5 following the banks of the River Spey through Aviemore is readily accessible by car and public Walk to Glenlivet transport. The nearest airport is Inverness (2hrs) forests and along riverside trails. On the way you with connections by train (47min) and coach can visit the Loch Garten Osprey Centre where a Ballindalloch is the site of the beautiful and services (48min). Glasgow (3hrs) and Edinburgh viewing hide allows close observation of the renowned Ballindalloch Castle and is well worth (4hrs) airports are good choices for international breeding birds. If you are lucky you will see these a visit. Leaving the village the route takes you out flights and both cities have excellent bus and impressive raptors swooping to catch fish from into the wild scenery of upland, purple heather train connections to Aviemore the surface of the loch. The surrounding RSPB clad, moorland. Rising up to the summits of Abernethy Forest Reserve contains the largest Cairncay and Deskie the trail descends to the Situated in the heart of the Cairngorms National remaining remnant of Caledonian pine forest in welcoming site of the Glenlivet distillery and Park, Aviemore is surrounded by the most Scotland and a stealthy approach may reward surrounding estate. The estate has several extensive range of high mountains in the UK with you with views of acrobatic red squirrels amongst excellent trails leading you into the wild uplands a vast tundra like wilderness on it’s doorstep. the lichen covered branches. with views of the Cairngorm mountains, allowing Beneath the imposing peaks the Spey valley cuts you to follow in the footsteps of illicit whisky Another highlight is the Spey Valley deep into the landscape providing a route along smugglers of the 18th century. the River Spey through ancient woodland and Smokehouse, where you have the opportunity to heather clad moors. watch the age old art of smoking and curing At the end of your days walk you will be salmon. Finish the day by walking into Granton- transferred back to Ballindalloch for a second WHISKY & WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK EXPLORING SPEYSIDE & THE CAIRNGORMS night. DAY 8 sections. We provide detailed route notes and maps to ensure that you can follow the route with Walk: 7 miles / 11.3km, 5 hrs Transfer to Aviemore and depart ease. Overnight: Ballindalloch, 3 or 4 star After breakfast a taxi (included) will transfer you Grade guesthouse/hotel to Aviemore where you can catch a train or bus This route is graded easy to moderate. Daily to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and other distances increase on some days and the terrain DAY 6 destinations in Scotland. may be rugged underfoot with some hills but not Walk to Craigellachie too strenuous. Perfect for those with a relatively Your route closely follows the River Spey today HOLIDAY INFORMATION good level of fitness. and you are spoilt for choice if you would like to Baggage Transfer visit a distillery. Cardhu, Aberlour and Macallan Accommodation Distilleries are all on or very close to the route. Your bags will be transferred from your You could also visit the cooperage centre where We specifically choose your accommodation to accommodation as per your itinerary and moved the whisky barrels are made. ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. onto your next overnight accommodation. We The Whisky and Walking in the Cairngorms ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to Craigellachie really is at the heart of Speyside holiday includes 7 nights on a B&B basis staying 20kg per person. whisky production and the local Inn has over 550 in either 3 or 4 star rated B&Bs, guesthouses and whiskies behind the bar hotels.