Self Guided View Trip Dates The Speyside Way Book Now
Trip Grade: Blue 4 Point to Point The Speyside Way
The Speyside Way covers just over 100 kilometres (65 miles) from the fishing village of Buckie on the Moray coast to the village of Aviemore, in the foothills of the great Cairngorm Mountains.
The Speyside Way trail follows the banks of the River Spey, often along disused railway lines as it makes its way from the sea to the Cairngorms National Park.
Following the banks of the River Spey, this is the easiest of our long distance hiking routes. However, it still presents a good challenge and offers enjoyable walking and hiking through a changing landscape. Hiking through villages, woods and rural riverlands, the path is fairly quiet so you won’t be sharing it with many other hikers and will often find that you have it to yourself.
Highlights • Hike the Speyside Way from the sea to the Cairngorms National Park – home to some of the highest mountains in Scotland • Enjoy the satisfaction of hiking from point to point each day, covering over 65 miles along the trail • Visit some of Scotland’s finest whisky distilleries, many of which are located along the route of the Speyside Way • We will arrange all accommodation, luggage transfer and provide you with maps and comprehensive route notes.
Book with confidence • You pick the dates that suit you – we make all the arrangements required. Planned Itinerary Day 1 | Arrive in Inverness Day 2 | Transfer to Buckie then hike to Fochabers Day 3 | Fochabers to Craigellachie Day 4 | Craigellachie to Ballindalloch Day 5 | Ballindalloch to Grantown-on-Spey Day 6 | Grantown-on-Spey to Boat of Garten Day 7 | Boat of Garten to Aviemore Day 8 | Depart Aviemore
Arrival Info
• Make your own transport arrangements to Inverness and your first nights accommodation Departure Info
• From Aviemore depart for home or onward travel after breakfast the day after completing the hike.
For advice on getting to and from Scotland please our travel advice page on our website: www.wildernessscotland.com/faq/travel-to-scotland/ Day 1 | Arrival in Inverness
On the first day of your trip you travel to Inverness and spend the night here, which is included in your trip price. Tomorrow you head to Buckie to start the hike.
Day 2 | Transfer to Buckie then hike to Fochabers
From Inverness you take the train (journey of less than an hour) to Elgin. Here a pre- arranged taxi will meet you and transfer you to Buckie for the start of the walk. Your luggage is transferred ahead to your accommodation. Please note the train is not included in the cost of your trip and will need to be arranged in advance.
Setting out on the walk now, you follow the coastline westwards enjoying sea views from Buckie to reach the River Spey at Spey Bay. Then turning south you begin your trek along the river banks, with your first night’s stop in Fochabers. Today is an easy day with little ascent – perfect for a warm up for what lies ahead!
Walk details: 17.5km/11 miles | Ascent: 65m
Day 3 | Fochabers to Craigellachie
The second day’s walk sticks fairly closely to the west shore of Loch Lochy. It follows mainly quiet, forest tracks with high mountains rising up on both sides of the loch, offering fine views. By the time you reach your accommodation, you will have hiked the length of Loch Lochy.
Walk details: 21km/13 miles | Ascent: 490m Day 4 | Craigellachie to Ballindalloch
Today’s section of the trail is a lovely hike on easy terrain, following the banks of the river with sections along the old former railway line, which is now a flat and grassy track – meaning there is very little ascent today! You’re also in prime whisky country now, so you may even like to consider stopping off to visit a distillery today. Aberlour is a good choice! At the very least, you can look forward to a local dram with dinner tonight, wherever you eat.
Walk details: 19km/11.5 miles | Ascent: 48m
Day 5 | Ballindalloch to Grantown-on-Spey
Today will be the most strenuous day of the trip with a longer distance and undulating terrain. The path today is a mixture of paths and some more disused railway, but it can be boggy for short sections. Today you will enter the Cairngorms National Park, with the mountains growing clearer and closer in the distance. Enjoy good views of the heathery hills and old woodlands as you hike today, including the beautiful community owned Anagach Pinewoods as you arrive for tonight’s halt at Grantown-on-Spey.
Walk details: 24km/15 miles | Ascent: 500m
Day 6 | Grantown-on-Spey to Boat of Garten
You’re now into the national park and today should be a very enjoyable hike, surrounded by gorgeous scenery. You start off following more old railway to the charming village of Nethybridge. After Nethybridge you enter the northern part of Abernethy Forest – a huge nature reserve owned by the RSPB. It’s a great section to look out for wildlife including red squirrels, and with good forest trails until a short section of road takes you over the river Spey once more and the lovely village of Boat of Garten.
Walk details: 17.5km/11 miles | Ascent: 90m Day 7 | Boat of Garten to Aviemore
The final section of the route to Aviemore is a short and easy hike to finish your Speyside Way adventure – easily done in a morning or afternoon. If you would like to extend the walk to make a full day of it you could first hike back into Abernethy Forest to see Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie – a great place to spot Osprey – before heading back to Boat of Garten. Or, get to Aviemore a bit earlier and maybe take a ride on the steam railway!
Setting out for Aviemore you’ll hike along a good track with glorious views of the mountains. The path goes through lovely birchwoods and open moorland, and you can keep an eye out for the Strathspey Railway steam locomotive going by. Arriving in Aviemore at your final guesthouse you can look forward to a celebration dinner tonight – you’ve done it!
Walk details: 10km/6 miles (excluding the lochs detour) | Ascent: 50m
Day 8 | Depart Inverness
After breakfast this morning you can start your journey homeward. If going south to Edinburgh or Glasgow you can head directly from Aviemore on the train or bus. Alternatively if heading for London or elsewhere you can head north to Inverness to catch a connecting flight from Inverness Airport. Trip Grading | Blue 4 |
Blue graded walking holidays are suitable for fit and experienced hikers. We walk at a good pace and you can expect to be out for 6-8 hours a day. You will not always be on a path and the terrain underfoot can be rough and boggy, including boulder fields and mountain tops. Some of the daily walks will involve a mountain ascent of over 3000ft / 900m high. Daily distances will be up to approx 16km but may be longer occasionally.
The weather in Scotland can be unpredictable and at times can make activities more challenging. Please do bear this in mind when thinking about what trip to join.
If you have any questions about the grading, then please do give our Adventure Consultants a call to chat through your experience and suitability for this trip.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are appropriately fit and capable of doing the described hikes in the expected times. Please refer to the grading section on our website for more details. If you are unsure we encourage you to speak to us first. Accommodation and Meals
This is a point to point itinerary where you walk to a new accommodation each day. The accommodation on this trip is graded as Classic and we handpick the best available accommodation along the route, which ranges from small guesthouses, Highland inns, small hotels and bed and breakfast establishments.
As accommodation is in short supply on this route however, please note that some establishments will be better than others.
Our accommodation partners are carefully chosen according to a number of factors - charming locations, very good facilities and a reputation for providing Highland hospitality. Wherever available, we will reserve en suite rooms for you, however on this trip it is not always possible.
Breakfast is included each morning. Lunches and evening meals are not included however many guest houses will also be able to provide a packed lunch for you if you ask them the night before. Local shops sell sandwiches and snacks for the day ahead. Evening meals can be taken in local restaurants, hotels or bars.
Single Rooms
Due to the nature of the accommodations we use, single supplements are limited and are allocated on a first come first served basis.
Wherever available, we will reserve en suite rooms for you. Please note however that on the West Highland Way this is not always possible due to the limited accommodation options, so on some nights you will have private facilities instead. Inclusions
This trip includes the following:
• 7 nights accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis in guest houses, B&Bs, small hotels and inns along the route.
• Luggage transfer for 1 bag per person for the duration of the trip, meaning you will only have to carry a day rucksack while you hike
• Taxi transfer from Elgin to Buckie on Day 1
• Comprehensive information pack containing your maps, route notes, amenities dossier and helpful information for your hike
• The services of the Wilderness Scotland Team prior to & during your trip
Extra Nights & Accommodation Upgrades If you wish to choose upgraded accommodation you may consider the following options. Please contact a member of the team to book. • Upgraded accommodation package – we will reserve the best rooms available along the route including first night at 5 star Rocpool Reserve • Add an extra night to your trip – ideal for a rest day of to spend more time for detours such as distillery visits. Our holidays reviewed in your words…
A very good walk, lots of interest and variety of landscapes. Met lots of friendly people on the route “ who were sharing the experience. Robb Radford ”
All Trip Reviews Here Sustainable Travel
Wilderness Scotland is committed to the principles of ecotourism. We work very hard to ensure our engagements with local communities, wild lands and wildlife are positive.
We are a proud partner of the Leave No Trace Centre for Outdoor Ethics, which enhances our commitment to responsible activity in Scotland’s wild lands, as enshrined in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC).
We are also proud to be a John Muir Trust Peak Partner. Thanks in part to the generosity of our clients though our Conservation Contribution scheme the John Muir Trust can rely on our investment to go towards conservation projects that have a deep connection to Wilderness Scotland and the areas we adventure in.
You can learn more about the work we’re doing with the John Muir Trust and the other ways we care for the wild places we love here. Equipment List
Check out our guide on what to wear when adventuring in Scotland. wildernessscotland.com/blog/hiking-in-scotland-what-to-wear
Eat | Stay | See
Looking for accommodation for before or after your adventure with us? Check out our list of where to stay and what to do
Eat – Stay – See – Inverness.pdf
Eat - Stay - See - Aviemore.pdf
General Info – Scotland
From food and drink to the Loch Ness Monster, our General Info for Scotland guide has got you covered for all your need to know facts.
General-Info-Scotland.pdf Travel Insurance
It is your responsibility to take out appropriate travel insurance to cover you during your trip. This should include cover for cancellation prior to the trip, the activities undertaken (i.e hiking), curtailment, and adequate medical insurance for sickness/ injury and medical repatriation. We also strongly recommend you have cover for your other travel arrangements such as flights, and your personal possessions.
We suggest you do your own research to find the best insurance cover for you however the follow companies offer suitable policies.
Campbell Irvine Direct – campbellirvinedirect.com Journeyman Insurance Services – journeyman-services.com/travelInsurance
If you cancel your holiday charges will apply. Please see section 2 of our terms and conditions for a breakdown: wildernessscotland.com/make-a-booking/booking-conditions
Travel With Confidence
You can book with us in complete confidence that all trip payments made to us are fully protected.
Wilderness Scotland Ltd is a licensed and bonded tour operator. Your financial security is guaranteed through our membership and bonding with ABTA. FAQs
Looking for more information? Check out our frequently asked questions page.
wildernessscotland.com/selfguided/faq
Questions To Ask? Ready to Book?
If you want to get in touch please send us an email or give us a call. We accept bookings online, by email, or over the phone. A deposit of 25% is required at the time of booking to secure the trip with the balance payable 8 weeks (56 days) before departure. If booking less than 56 days before the trip start date, full payment of the trip price is required immediately.
We accept payment by credit or debit card, or bank transfer.
email: [email protected] View Trip Dates Tel (UK and Europe): +44(0)1479 420 020 Book Now Tel (US and Canada): 866-740-3890