WHISKY AND WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

Walk through the heather covered hills, crystal clear streams and tranquil Caledonian Pine forests

of the Cairngorms National Park and taste the world famous Speyside whiskies on this relaxed

walking holiday.

Starting in the easily accessible highland village of Aviemore at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park,

the route guides you through the naturally rich Spey valley. Wander through the fragrant Caledonian pine

forests, home to the elusive capercaillie, and alongside riverside trails beside deep salmon rich waters and

clear rushing burns. Traverse the purple heather clad moorland in the shadow of ice worn mountain

summits, the haunt of regal stags, and discover a history of illicit whisky production along clandestine

smugglers trails winding through wood and glen.

Stumble across ruined castles on island lochs, enjoy a lively evening in a traditional highland inn and drink

in the lochs, mountains and streams of the Cairngorm National Park. Nose and taste smoky whiskies at

world famous distilleries such as Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Aberlour and learn of the intricate processes

that produce the ’life blood of Scotland’.

Your adventure begins with two nights in Aviemore, the perfect base for walking in the Cairngorms

National Park before you head north along the Spey River to peaceful Granton-on-Spey for a night. You

then continue right into the heart of Spey single malt country and spend two nights at both Ballindalloch

and Craigellachie.

Your self guided walking tour includes 7 nights hand-picked overnight accommodation in high quality

B&B’s, country inns, and guesthouses, door to door baggage transfers between accommodation, return

transfers from Craigellachie to Aviemore, transfer on day 5, a detailed information pack with turn by turn

route notes, detailed maps and heaps of useful information. Emergency support from our office in

Scotland is of course included.

Taste smoky Speyside whiskies and learn the whisky maker’s art

Walk through the fragrant Caledonian pine forest around Loch an Eileen

Watch Ospreys hunt at the Loch Garten Osprey Centre

Follow the Glenlivet smugglers’ trails over the purple heather clad hills

Enjoy an impromptu ceilidh at a traditional highland Inn

Stay in charming B&B and country inn accommodation

WHY CHOOSE A SELF GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAY WITH US?

Macs Adventure is a small, energetic company dedicated to delivering adventure excellence. We have

hand picked the best possible accommodation in order to make sure that you experience the best the

Islands have to offer. We are passionate about delivering outstanding walking holidays where every last

detail is taken care of. Each holiday we offer is unique, tailor made to meet your requirements. From your

first contact with Macs Adventure you will deal with a local specialist who knows the region intimately.

WHISKY & WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

EXPLORING SPEYSIDE & THE CAIRNGORMS

SUMMARY

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Accommodation: 7 nights in 3 - 4 star

B&B’s and small hotels.

Meals: 7 breakfasts. Lunch and dinner not

included but always available at accommo-

dation or nearby.

Baggage Transfer: Door-to-door baggage

transfer.

Transfers: From Glenlivet to Ballindalloch

on day 5. From Craigellachie to Aviemore

on day 8.

Information Pack: Map and route notes

will be supplied as well as a comprehensive

information pack.

Tour: Whisky & Walking in the Cairn-

gorms National Park

Code: WSSWWC

Type: Self-Guided Walking Holiday

Price: see website

Single Supplement: see website

Dates: March - October

Days: 6 walking days

Nights: 7 nights

Grade: Easy to Moderate

HIGHLIGHTS

IS IT FOR ME?

This holiday provides the opportunity to escape

to one of Scotland’s most beautiful areas. Walk

through silent forest, along river trails and up

into rugged mountain landscapes. Famed for

the Speyside distilleries, the area is perfect for

both walker and whisky connoisseur.

Walking Days: 6

Nights: 7

Average Daily Distance: 10 miles per day.

Grade: Easy to Moderate

DAY 1

Arrive Aviemore and overnight

Aviemore is readily accessible by car and public

transport. The nearest airport is Inverness (2hrs)

with connections by train (47min) and coach

services (48min). Glasgow (3hrs) and Edinburgh

(4hrs) airports are good choices for international

flights and both cities have excellent bus and

train connections to Aviemore

Situated in the heart of the Cairngorms National

Park, Aviemore is surrounded by the most

extensive range of high mountains in the UK with

a vast tundra like wilderness on it’s doorstep.

Beneath the imposing peaks the Spey valley cuts

deep into the landscape providing a route along

the River Spey through ancient woodland and

heather clad moors.

Overnight: Aviemore, 3 or 4 star guesthouse/

hotel

DAY 2

Circular walk to Loch an Eilein

From Aviemore you walk through the

Rothiemurchus Forest to Loch an Eilein. This

beautiful loch even has a ruined 14th century

castle on an island, once the stronghold of the

‘Wolf of Badenoch’, the third son of King Robert

II of Scotland. The famous cattle rustler or

‘reiver’, Rob Roy MacGregor, is also known to

have used the loch and one side is known as

‘Robber’s Way’.

While it is certainly much quieter now, the

ancient Caledonian pine forest is filled with the

sounds of many rare and local birds, including

the endemic Scottish crossbill and the diminutive

crested tit.

Walk: 10 miles / 16km, 4-5 hrs

Overnight: Aviemore, 3 or 4 star guesthouse/

hotel

DAY 3

Walk to Granton-on-Spey

Following the Speyside Way you leave Aviemore

following the banks of the River Spey through

forests and along riverside trails. On the way you

can visit the Loch Garten Osprey Centre where a

viewing hide allows close observation of the

breeding birds. If you are lucky you will see these

impressive raptors swooping to catch fish from

the surface of the loch. The surrounding RSPB

Abernethy Forest Reserve contains the largest

remaining remnant of Caledonian pine forest in

Scotland and a stealthy approach may reward

you with views of acrobatic red squirrels amongst

the lichen covered branches.

Another highlight is the Spey Valley

Smokehouse, where you have the opportunity to

watch the age old art of smoking and curing

salmon. Finish the day by walking into Granton-

on-Spey, a traditional Scottish town dating from

the 1760s.

The walk can be shortened by taking the

Strathspey Steam Railway to Boat of Garten or

Nethy Bridge.

Walk: 11 - 17 miles / 17.7 - 27.4km, 5-7 hrs

Overnight: Granton-on-Spey, 3 or 4 star

guesthouse/hotel

DAY 4

Walk to Ballindalloch

A quiet day of walking through the rich forest and

tranquillity of the Spey River Valley. The

Anagach pinewoods have been managed to

encourage the impressive strutting capercaillie.

This huge glossy green and black bird, a

member of the grouse family, is very rare and

local with a distinctive bubbling mating call that

ends with a sound like a cork being drawn from a

bottle! Whisky fans can look forward to the

Cragganmore Distillery at the end of the day.

Walk: 13 miles / 21km, 6 hrs

Overnight: Ballindalloch, 3 or 4 star

guesthouse/hotel

DAY 5

Walk to Glenlivet

Ballindalloch is the site of the beautiful and

renowned Ballindalloch Castle and is well worth

a visit. Leaving the village the route takes you out

into the wild scenery of upland, purple heather

clad, moorland. Rising up to the summits of

Cairncay and Deskie the trail descends to the

welcoming site of the Glenlivet distillery and

surrounding estate. The estate has several

excellent trails leading you into the wild uplands

with views of the Cairngorm mountains, allowing

you to follow in the footsteps of illicit whisky

smugglers of the 18th century.

At the end of your days walk you will be

transferred back to Ballindalloch for a second

WHISKY & WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

EXPLORING SPEYSIDE & THE CAIRNGORMS

ITINERARY: WSSSWWC

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Day Route Miles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Arrive Aviemore Circular walk to Loch an Eilein Walk to Granton-on-Spey Walk to Ballindalloch Walk to Glenlivet Walk to Craigellachie Circular walk to Glen-fiddich Distillery Transfer to Aviemore and onward travel

0 10

11/17

13 7 12 12

night.

Walk: 7 miles / 11.3km, 5 hrs

Overnight: Ballindalloch, 3 or 4 star

guesthouse/hotel

DAY 6

Walk to Craigellachie

Your route closely follows the River Spey today

and you are spoilt for choice if you would like to

visit a distillery. Cardhu, Aberlour and Macallan

Distilleries are all on or very close to the route.

You could also visit the cooperage centre where

the whisky barrels are made.

Craigellachie really is at the heart of Speyside

whisky production and the local Inn has over 550

whiskies behind the bar

Walk: 12 miles / 19.3km, 5-6hrs

Overnight: Craigellachie, 3 or 4 star

guesthouse/hotel

DAY 7

Circular walk to Dufftown and

Glenfiddich Distillery

Leaving the River Spey you enjoy a varied circuit

to visit the small village of Dufftown and the world

famous Glenfiddich Distillery. The trail follows the

River Fiddich and an easy ascent provides you

with panoramic views of the Spey Valley from the

summit of Gownie Path at 1100 ft.

You will surely wish to visit the distillery which

was set up in 1886 with the goal of creating the

‘best dram in the valley’. You can make your own

decision with a tour ranging from the general

distillery experience to a ‘connoisseur tour’.

Walk: 12 miles / 19.3km, 506 hrs

Overnight: Craigellachie, 3 or 4 star

guesthouse/hotel

DAY 8

Transfer to Aviemore and depart

After breakfast a taxi (included) will transfer you

to Aviemore where you can catch a train or bus

to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and other

destinations in Scotland.

Accommodation

We specifically choose your accommodation to

ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay.

The Whisky and Walking in the Cairngorms

holiday includes 7 nights on a B&B basis staying

in either 3 or 4 star rated B&Bs, guesthouses and

hotels. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers,

traditional hospitality and delicious local food.

Additional Nights and Extensions

You can add additional nights at any point along

the walk, please contact us for more details.

Single Rooms

Single occupancy rooms are available though

this will incur an additional charge.

Solo Walkers

The Whisky & Walking in the Cairngorms holiday

is suitable for solo walkers.

Meals

A hearty breakfast is included each morning.

Lunch and dinner are not included so you are

free to choose from the available options. Your

accommodations will more than happy to provide

a packed lunch on request and this can be

booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at

your accommodation or nearby pubs.

Navigation

The walks on the Walking & Whisky in the

Cairngorms holiday is not way marked on all

sections. We provide detailed route notes and

maps to ensure that you can follow the route with

ease.

Grade

This route is graded easy to moderate. Daily

distances increase on some days and the terrain

may be rugged underfoot with some hills but not

too strenuous. Perfect for those with a relatively

good level of fitness.

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your

accommodation as per your itinerary and moved

onto your next overnight accommodation. We

ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to

20kg per person.

Equipment

Your information pack has a detailed equipment

list which includes standard walking gear such as

good walking boots or shoes, warm and

waterproof clothes and a day pack.

Dogs

Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate

walkers with dogs as many of the

accommodation providers do not accept pets.

Recommended Reading

The Whisky River: Distilleries of Speyside -Robin

Laing - ISBN: 978-1905222971

Travel Insurance

It is a condition of booking with us that you have

suitable travel insurance that covers you for

cancellation, curtailment, illness or injury.

Getting to and from Aviemore

By Air - Inverness (2 hours) is the closest

airport to Aviemore and serves flights from many

UK cities including London, Manchester,

WHISKY & WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

EXPLORING SPEYSIDE & THE CAIRNGORMS

HOLIDAY INFORMATION

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Birmingham and Bristol. Airport buses to the

centre of Inverness (23min) connect with both

direct train (47min) and coach services (48min).

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports are good

choices for international flights.

By Train/Bus - Both Glasgow and Edinburgh

have excellent bus and train connections to

Aviemore with a journey time of between 3 and 4

hours from each. Trains from London to

Aviemore take approximately 8.5 hours and

involve changes at Edinburgh, Haymarket or

Perth depending on the service.

In order to plan your journey correctly via public

transport we suggest that you utilise the

Traveline website: www.travelinescotland.com

By Road - Aviemore is located just off the

main A9 road that runs between central Scotland

and the far north east of Scotland. From

Edinburgh and Glasgow the distances are 129

miles and 142 miles respectively with a driving

time of between 2 hours 40mins and 3 hours

From Inverness the distance is 30 miles with a

driving time of 45mins.

Availability

This walking holiday is available between March

and October. You can start on any date that suits

your travel plans though it is important to note

that many of the distilleries may be closed at the

weekends. You will find up to date availability on

our website.

Price

Detailed up to date prices for all holidays are

available on our website.

Included

7 Nights accommodation in hand picked B&B, guesthouses, small hotels in en suite rooms (3 or 4 star).

7 Breakfasts.

Daily door to door baggage transfer of 1 bag of up to 20kg per person.

Transfer from Glenlivet to Ballindalloch on day 5.

Transfer from Craigellachie to Aviemore on day 8.

A detailed information pack, route notes and maps.

Emergency telephone support from our Glasgow office and out of hours support.

Excluded

Travel to / from Aviemore.

Any additional transfers.

Whisky tasting/tours.

Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks.

Travel Insurance.

Personal Equipment.

Any entrance fees, admissions or services not specified.

Optional extras

Single room supplement if applicable.

Additional nights during the holiday.

Once you have read all the information in this

factsheet or our website and would like to go

ahead with your booking you can book securely

online at www.macsadventure.com or by

telephone on +44 (0) 141 530 8886.

Financial Security

In accordance with "The Package Travel,

Package Holidays and Package Tours

Regulations1992" all passengers booking with

Macs Adventure Ltd are fully protected for the

initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all

monies paid to us, including repatriation if

required (this insurance will not cover repatriation

the country of origin for the passengers outside

of the EU), arising from cancellation or

curtailment of your travel arrangements due to

the insolvency of Macs Adventure Ltd. There is

no requirement for Financial Protection of day

trips, and none is provided. This insurance is

only valid for packages booked that DO NOT

include flights.

Book with Confidence. We are a member of ABTA which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct. We provide full financial protection for your money.

ABTA Member Statement

Macs Adventure Holidays is a Member of ABTA.

ABTA and ABTA Members help holidaymakers

to get the most from their travel and assist when

things don’t go according to plan. We are obliged

to maintain a high standard of service to you by

ABTA’s Code of Conduct.

For more information on

ABTA, the Code of

Conduct and the

arbitration scheme available to you if you have a

complaint, contact ABTA, 30 Park Street, London

SE1 9EQ, tel 020 3117 0581 www.abta.com

WHISKY & WALKING IN THE CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

EXPLORING SPEYSIDE & THE CAIRNGORMS

HOW TO BOOK

BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE

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