Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie

The walk starts from the Garten Woods car park, opposite the junction of the Boat of Garten road with the B970. A wide path winds into the pinewood; after about a kilometre a narrower path, easily missed, turns off to Loch Mallachie. The route follows the shore, then comes close to Loch Garten and runs along it to a small car park. It crosses the road to a path on the far side, passes a boardwalk over a small forest lochan, and turns into the forest on a track that leads back to the outward path.

It is 7.5 km (4.7 miles) and nearly level, with 27 m (90 ft) of ascent; allow about 2 hours. The grade is Easy.

The forest is part of the RSPB's Abernethy reserve, where the old plantation pines are being thinned and the forest returned to a more natural state. Look out for red squirrels and the big mounds of pine needles built by wood ants. Loch Mallachie, with pines on three sides and a view to the Cairngorm foothills, is the quieter of the two lochs.

The paths are mostly excellent, with one boggy stretch. Watch for traffic where the route crosses the road.

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.