Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
The walk starts from the National Trust for Scotland's pay car park at the Linn of Dee. A path with a boardwalk leads through the forest to the Glen Lui track; turn left, cross the Black Bridge over the Lui Water and follow the track up the east side of the glen to the pines round Derry Lodge. Beyond the lodge and the mountain rescue post, the footbridge over the Derry Burn is a good place to stop before returning the same way.
It is 10.3 km (6.4 miles) with 72 m (240 ft) of ascent; allow about 3 hours. The grade is Easy.
The view ahead grows as the glen opens out towards the big hills, and red deer are often seen on the far side. Derry Lodge, a Victorian shooting lodge on the Trust's Mar Lodge estate, is boarded up; Bob Scott's bothy, an open shelter, is just to the south.
The track is good all the way. The Linn of Dee itself, where the river pours through a narrow gorge under the road bridge, is a few minutes from the car park. This is one of the coldest corners of Scotland, so take warm clothes outside high summer.
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.
Good to know
- Up Glen Lui on an estate track to Derry Lodge, a boarded-up Victorian shooting lodge
- Part of the National Trust for Scotland's Mar Lodge estate
- Red deer are often seen across the glen
- The Linn of Dee, where the river pours through a narrow rocky gorge, is beside the car park
Getting there
Start: Linn of Dee car park · Pay and display. 56.98974, -3.54334
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Aviemore: Booking.com → Expedia →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.
