Craigellachie from Aviemore

The walk starts from the car park at the Aviemore youth hostel at the south end of the main street, which walkers doing this route may use. The path goes through a tunnel under the A9 into the birch woods of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve, climbs past a lochan and contours round the amphitheatre below the crags to meet a track. A constructed path with steps continues up out of the trees, and a rougher path finishes at the summit cairn. The way back is down the track and a path along the edge of the reserve to the tunnel.

It is 5.0 km (3.1 miles) with 282 m (925 ft) of ascent; allow about 2 hours. The grade is Easy by time, but the last part is steep.

From the top the view takes in Aviemore, the ski runs on Cairn Gorm and the whole Cairngorm range across Strathspey; a second cairn a little further on looks west over a hill lochan. Peregrine falcons nest on the crags.

The paths are clear throughout. The final climb above the trees is steep, rough and rocky, and slippery when wet, so take care coming down.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.