Date/Time
Date(s) - 31/03/20139:00 am - 5:00 pm
Walk Details
Pub Stop?: Yes O/S Map Sheet No.: 44 Grid Ref. Start: 267939 Grid Ref. Finish 324957 Walk (Miles): 8 Walk Hours: 4 Bus Time to Walk:2 Bus Time from Walk: 1.5 Departure time from walk: 1500Walk Notes
The walk today is in Upper Deeside and traverses a part of the Balmoral Estate. The walk commences at Easter Balmoral on the B976 South Deeside Road at NGR 264.942, where we take the unclassified road up past the distillery on your right to a junction at NGR 272.938. Here, we branch right and head uphill past Buailteach Farm on our left side and continue skirting the north side of Tom Bad a’ Mhonaidh to reach another track junction at NGR 290.921. Turn left here and take the track ENE’wards which goes past the ruins of Bovaglie before turning northwards into upper Glen Girnock. The track down the glen is then followed past Loinveg and onwards downhill to eventually come out on the B976 at Littlemill, where the bus will be waiting (NGR 325.957). Walking distance approx. 7miles
A variation of this walk starts along the northern side of Tom Bad a’ Mhonaidh at a path junction (NGR 285 925), where a track heads N’wards across the heather to a high style over a deer fence. Continue N’wards through the forest past Khantore and join a metalled road descending to Balnacroft. Head NE’wards to NGR 287 948 and take the track SE’wards to NGR 290 946 and either (1) continue to climb on a path over Creag nam Ban (527m) and Sgor an h-olaire (524m) to reach Glen Girnock by Camlet and Loinveg and onwards to Little Mill . This adds 2 miles to the route or (2) traverse NE’wards the lower slopes of Creag nam Ban to reach a path coming from a “kissing gate” on the B976 (NGR 304 957). Follow this path SE’wards which contours around the southern side of Creag Ghiubhais to reach Glen Girnock and Little Mill. Distance approx. 7 miles.
Those members who wish to climb the Coyles of Muick will be dropped off at a new “kissing gate” near Loch Ullachie (NGR 341 951) where a good path heads SW’wards through the forest and then, once on open ground, goes S’wards past Carn a’ Bhealaidh and Meall Dubh to the Coyles. There are various paths back through the forest to reach Loch Ullachie where walkers will then have to walk about a mile along the B976 to our bus at Little Mill.