Date/Time
Date(s) - 21/06/200912:00 am
Walk Details
Pub Stop?: No O/S Map Sheet No.: 36 and 37 Grid Ref. Start: Grid Ref. Finish Walk (Miles): 12.5 Walk Hours: Bus Time to Walk: Bus Time from Walk: Departure time from walk:Walk Notes
Today’s walk commences at the south end of Tomintoul village at NGR 171.183
Take the secondary road south-westwards past the Highland Games park on the left and when the road forks take the left hand branch. The road soon becomes a track and drops down into Glen Avon to follow the river southwards.
(a) Just before Dalestie farm, where the burn of Little Fergie comes down to join the River Avon, leave the track and take the path up the north bank of the burn. This climbs to a dip between Creag Veann and Carn Bad a’ Ghuail where the rocky gully called the Eag cuts through the hills towards the south east. The faint path follows the north rim of the gully before beginning a gradual descent into the wide boggy strath of the upper Don valley. Soon a track is joined which descends to a footbridge over the Feith Bhait burn at NGR 208.086, a tributary of the River Don.
The track from the bridge follows the south bank of the river via a lonely cottage at Inchmore and the site of Delnadamph Lodge, where only outhouses and keeper’s cottage still stand. From here a tarred road leads eastwards to the A939 public road at Cock Bridge. Walking distance=12.5 miles+ ascent of 600 feet.
(b) For those wishing to climb the Tolm Buirich, one of the hills about 3 miles east of the glen, leave the track at Birchfield (NGR 166.148) and climb by the Allt na Kyle burn to a track on the right which crosses a 529 metre top and follows the glen of the Muckle Fergie burn up towards Carn Breac, before turning south and climbing the ridge to the top of Tolm Buirich (692m, 2269 ft). From there descend eastwards to the col between this top and Carn Ealasaid to pick up the path which descends from there southwards into the Don valley near Dunandhu. From there a farm track leads eastwards by Dunanfiew cottage and Loinherry to the A939 public road just beyond the Allargue Arms Hotel (NGR 257.093). Walking distance=11.5 miles + ascent of 950ft.
(c) For a shorter alternative route to Tolm Buirich leave the bus at Blairnamarrow farm on the Lecht road before it reaches Tomintoul (NGR 212.154) and take the path heading southwards following the east bank of the Allt nan Cabar. This climbs a ridge up to the col between Tolm Buirich and Carn Ealasaid from where turning westwards leads to the summit of Tolm Buirich (692m, 2269ft) . For the descent retrace ones steps to rejoin the path at the col before descending the slopes of Carn Ealasaid to the Don valley at either Dunandhu or Dunanfiew. The farm road eastwards past Loinherry then leads to the A939 public road as before.