Ballater Walking Festival 16th to 22nd May 2020 . Essential Information If in doubt about anything, email [email protected] Walks Grading Each day, there are three or four categories of walk; Strenuous, Medium, Easy and Special Interest. A professional guide will lead the high-level Strenuous ones. Other walks will be led by experienced walkers with knowledge of Royal Deeside or rangers from Muir of Dinnet NNR, Aberdeenshire Council and Balmoral with expertise in flora, fauna and local history. Before making a choice, please read each walk description and the walk gradings listed below. • Strenuous These may include some of the following; significant ascent and descent of a Munro or two, considerable length in a remote area, crossing burns, easy scrambling, exposure to drops and perhaps at a brisk pace. These walks are for experienced hillwalkers with an above average level of fitness and stamina. Walking boots and warm, waterproof clothing are essential. Walkers unsure of their ability should contact the organisers in advance. • Medium Normally around nine to twelve miles, these walks are for participants who have a good level of fitness and experience of walking longer distances. There may be significant overall ascent, including a hill and other demanding aspects such as bog, thick heather, and varied surfaces including open hillside in a remote area. • Easy Taken at a fairly relaxed pace and usually under seven miles, there will be minimum gradients. For anyone who does not have a mobility difficulty, a specific health problem or is seriously unfit. An easy walk will be mainly on good paths and tracks with no sustained, very steep slopes or significant stretches of slippery or uneven surfaces. There may be a stile to cross. • Special Interest Led by a ranger or someone with a specific interest, these walks of about five to six miles will be at an easy pace to allow plenty of time to look and learn about many things including wildlife, conservation, flowers, history, geology and archaeology. Equipment In Upper Deeside and the Eastern Cairngorms, the weather and ground conditions can be challenging, particularly on high-level walks. An ill-equipped walker can pose a threat to their own safety and to the group as a whole. Being suitably equipped is essential. Looking back over the years of the Ballater Walking Festival, we have had snow on high level walks and also some very hot weather; both extremes pose a different set of potential problems. Everyone should be aware of the weather forecast and prepare accordingly. On a hill or a remote area, conditions can be significantly cooler, wetter and windier than in Ballater and can change very quickly. Always carry plenty of water. If a sunny day is forecast, include a sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and extra water. • For Easy walks we recommend sturdy, ankle-supporting footwear, warm clothing, warm hat, gloves, waterproof jacket and over trousers, a rucksack to carry adequate food and drink for the length of the walk, a spare layer of clothing, and any personal medication that might be needed. • For Medium and Strenuous walks, we ask walkers to ensure they have all of the things needed for an Easy walk plus full hillwalking gear: Boots, warm clothing, quick drying trousers (not denim jeans), waterproof jacket and over trousers, rucksack, warm hat, gloves, spare fleece, packed lunch, spare food and drink, small personal first aid kit including any medications and perhaps a mobile phone, walking poles, gaiters and a sun hat. Sunday 17th May Strenuous Walk 1: East Glenshee Munros Distance 19km/12mls Ascent 1020m/3350ft Walking time approx 8 hrs Map Landranger 43/44 Departure 7 am Start NO 145 806 Finish NO 145 806 4 Munros – Carn an Tuirc 1018m. Cairn of Claise 1062m. Tolmount 958m. Tom Buidhe 957m. A climb, steep and rocky in places, takes us to the summit of Carn an Turic, which is a fine viewpoint. From here we pick up a good track across a hill to reach Cairn of Claise. We leave the summit heading in a direct line across the peat hags for Tolmount, which affords impressive views down to Glen Callater. From here, Tom Buidhe is only a short distance away. We return over moorland terrain around the ridge around Garbh-choire down to Sron na Gaoithe and a final steep descent back towards the glen. Terrain: Intermittent hill paths connect the Munro summits with a mixture of heather, grass, boulders and peat hags. Medium Walk 2: Carn na Drochaide Distance 11km/7mls Ascent 590m/1965ft Walking time approx 5 hrs Map Landranger 43 Departure 9 am Start NO 116 908 Finish NO 116 908 From the Linn of Quoich, we will follow the path leading up past the Punch Bowl and into the picturesque Glen Quoich. There follows a climb on rough ground up Carn na Criche and on to the summit of Carn na Drochaide. We will return via Allanaquoich back to the Punch Bowl. This walk offers stunning views of the River Dee and the area north of Braemar. Easy Walk 3: Braemar and the Queen’s Drive Distance 10km/6mls Ascent 100m/430ft Walking time approx 5 hrs Map Landranger 43 Departure 10 am Start NO 152 913 Finish NO 152 913 Starting in the centre of Braemar, we will visit the ruins of Kildrochit Castle before heading past the refurbished Fife Arms to the Duke of Rothesay Pavilion and the Games Park. From there we will go up to the duck pond before walking down to the River Clunie and over the Society Bridge to join the Queen’s Drive. Continuing past the Lion’s Face, we will return to Braemar via the Castle. Monday 18th May Strenuous Walk 4: Loch Avon and Loch Etchachan - Ski Centre to Linn of Dee Distance 25km/15mls Ascent 850m/2789ft Walking time approx 9 hrs Map Landranger36/43 Departure 7am Start NH 989 059 Finish NO 062 898 Loch Avon and Loch Etchachan are in the very heart of the Cairngorms. This route involves steep ascents and descents in wild, remote country. The highlight is passing through the magnificent Loch Avon basin. We start at Cairngorm Ski Centre and climb to a height of 1141m before descending into Coire Raibeirt. The inflow into the Loch may involve wet feet where we seek out the Shelter Stone before climbing once more to Loch Etchachan. We then enjoy a beautiful return to the Linn of Dee through the Glen Derry pinewoods. Terrain: A testing mountain walk, not to be underestimated, passing through very remote country, lacking clear paths, far from help. Strong fitness and ability to cope with rough steep ground is necessary. Medium Walk 5: The Coyles of Glenmuick Distance 15km/9.3mls Ascent 500m/1640ft Walking time approx 6.5 hrs Map Landranger 44 Departure 9 am Start NO 340 951 Finish NO 340 951 This walk starts by the secluded Loch Ullachie and goes up all 3 Coyles – Meall Dubh, the Coyles of Muick and finally the Craig of Loinmuie. We will visit the newly rebuilt cairn erected to celebrate the marriage of Edward 7th and, from here, there are stunning views of Loch Muick, Glen Muick and the Balmoral Estate. We then meander back down through the Alltcailleach Forest where we will visit the old township of Loinmuie. We finish back at Loch Ullachie where we started with Birkhall to the east. Easy Walk 6: Along the River Gairn to Ballater Distance 10km/6mls Ascent 100m/330ft Walking time approx 5 hrs Map Landranger 37 Departure 10 am Start NJ 316 004 Finish NO 370 959 From the foot bridge over the River Gairn, we start the linear walk back to Ballater. The first part is through the Long Haugh, a peaceful riverside meadow with historical associations. We pass through the hamlets of Balno, Inverenzie, Lary and Abergairn, with a detour to the ruins of Abergairn Castle. We return to Ballater through the Hilton Grand Vacations Resort at Craigendarroch and along the Deeside Way. Tuesday 19th May Strenuous Walk 7: Broad Cairn and Cairn Bannoch - 2 Lochs, 2 Munros Distance 24km/15mls Ascent 870m/2854ft Walking time approx 8 hrs Map Landranger43/44 Departure 8 am Start NO 309 851 Finish NO 309 851 Whilst the nearby cliffs of Lochnagar are famed and celebrated, the magnificent beetling black precipice of Creag an Dubh-loch is much less known. On this fine hill walk, we will visit this great crag and its lonely loch before ascending Cairn Bannoch and Broad Cairn to make a return to Loch Muick, taking the south bank path back to the Spittal of Glenmuick. Medium Walk 8: Glen Feardar Distance 16km/10mls Ascent 450m/1480ft Walking time approx 6 hrs Map Landranger 44 Departure 9 am Start NO 234 938 Finish NO 188 914 We start this linear walk going through birch woods and open moors with wonderful views of Lochnagar, visiting the late Queen Mother’s picnic house and a restored cruck framed cottage at Auchtavan, an 18th-19th century fermtoun. We then continue on, ascending through Glen Feardar, the Glen of High Water. We cross a stream at a ford and head back south through the Invercauld Forest with Craig Leek to the east. Our destination is the car park at Keiloch. Easy Walk 9a: The Tarland Way Distance 11km/7mls Ascent 150m/490ft Walking time approx 5 hrs Map Landranger 37 Departure 10 am Start NJ 529 986 Finish NJ 481 043 From Aboyne, we will walk through the wrought iron gates towards Aboyne Castle, then head westward along an avenue of trees.