speyside way

The sixty-five mile route from Buckie to Aviemore has now been extended and signposted for six miles to Kincraig, and will continue further south in the years to come. The spur to Tomintoul adds another fifteen miles, and the shorter Dufftown spur can be included with a circular day walk from Aberlour, over the hill via Gownie and Burnhead.

A train journey to Elgin from Inverness, and a bus ride to Buckie, got me to my start point by lunch, allowing a few hours walking time before the light faded. I had an rough idea where I would camp each night, and when there was uncertainty, began looking for a suitable spot to pitch the tent about an hour before sundown. To make the most of the daylight, I was waking before sunrise and making tracks soon after.

The walking was relatively easy on this Trail, following the course of a disused railway for long stretches. Most days I saw less than a dozen people, and only passed a group of three ladies walking the Speyside Way. Other users were local dog walkers and the occasional cyclist.

For the time of year, the weather was superb. Rain fell only three times during the week, each occasion for a few hours at most, while I was warm and dry in my tent at night.

Start 08/11/2018 Buckie

Finish 15/11/2018 Kincraig

Distance 91miles/146km