Corrie Fee is truly dramatic, a massive bowl scooped out by a glacier, it is a National Nature Reserve. A very good path climbs gently to a viewpoint, with the option of extending the route to climb up the back of the corrie to a waterfall.
Summary
Very well made path into Corrie Fee, steady climb, optional steep extension on path to climb up to waterfall
Terrain
Users'
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1. Start from the Glen Doll car park at the head of Glen Clova where there is a ranger information post and toilets (parking charge). The forest here is currently being re-developed by the Forestry Commission to increase biodiversity, with the spruce being gradually felled and replaced by native species. From the car park follow the sign for Forest Walks and take the track past the farm at Acharn, keeping left when the track forks.
2. Keep straight ahead following the signs for Corrie Fee. Soon Jock's Road, the ancient route to Braemar leaves to the right. Jock's Road has a key place in the history of Scottish Access. When Duncan MacPherson bought the Glen Doll estate in the late nineteenth century he tried to ban all access to the estate. John Winter ('Jock') fought for the right to walk this old drove route; legal action went as far as the House of Lord's and by the time it was finished, both MacPherson and the Scottish Rights of Way Society were bankrupt. It led to the passing of the Scottish Rights of Way Act, the most important piece of legislation for walkers until the more recent Land Reform Act of 2005 granted increased rights to walkers. At the junction with Jock's Road stay on the main track running alongside, and soon crossing, the White Water.
3. Keep straight on when a track leaves to the right and soon the path narrows and heads into the woods. The path winds uphill, crossing a small stream, and then reaches the deer fence at the entrance to Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve. From this viewpoint you can see the magnificent bowl shape of the corrie, with the waterfall at the back. Here you can choose to return from here following the outward route after exploring the area, or you can extend the walk to climb to the waterfall at the rear of the corrie. This is excluded from the distances given for the walk; it is steep and has a couple of rocky sections but the path is mainly good.
4. To include the detour up to the waterfall, follow the path across the undulating bottom of the corrie, the bumps are mounds of glacial debris left by the retreating glacier that carved out the corrie. The area has a large number of rare plants and it is also a good place to spot golden eagles and other birds of prey. At the back of the corrie the well-made path starts to climb steeply, eventually reaching the waterfall.
5. From the waterfall turn back to descend to the floor of the corrie. The path above the waterfall climbs to the plateau and eventually to the Munro of Mayar, however this requires good navigation skills and hillwalking experience and equipment even in good weather. Instead, back at the deer fence, head back through Glendoll forest on the same outward route, or alternatively by sticking to the path on the south side of the White Water.
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