Speyside Way

Starting in Buckie on the shores of the Moray Firth, the Speyside Way follows the beautiful valley of the River Spey upstream, finishing 137 km later in Newtownmore, south of Aviemore. The track is a mix of coastal paths, riverbank paths, disused rail tracks, open moorland and pine forests. A good long-distance hike for beginners; there is not too much elevation change and the waymarking is very good as well as the trail having good facilities. Even though you are out in the wilds, you should never feel too isolated. The hardest part of the trail is from Ballindalloch to Grantown where the terrain can be challenging and slow going. There is also a diversion off the trail, the Tomintoul Spur, which takes you to the highest village in Scotland, Tomintoul. Visibility is often poor here due to the low cloud cover, so you may need a compass. The views across the valley though, from its 1164ft are spectacular and make the extra exertion worth doing. A great add swell here for whisky lovers is to take a tour at the Glenlivet Distillery and learn about everything whisky! This valley, from the Moray Firth to the Cairngorms is the birthplace of legal whisky distillation. Passing through many lovely villages, there are a lot of B&Bs and camping grounds so you should not find it difficult to find somewhere to rest for the night and also to re-supply although out of season accommodation may be more difficult. Be prepared for grey, wet and miserable weather; this is the Highlands of Scotland after all!