This circular walk climbs uphill and follows a nature trail around the mixed woods of Glenmulliach forest before rising to a viewpoint overlooking Tomintoul and the surrounding hills.
Summary
Waymarked path and tracks, steep with steps in places
Terrain
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1. Start the walk from the Glenmulliach Forest car park, part of the Glenlivet Estate. Follow the sign for the nature trail and cross a small bridge before turning right and then bearing left and climbing gently at first. As the path passes through pines and then birch trees it becomes steeper including a flight of steps a one point. There are information boards about the plants and wildlife found here. Keep heading uphill with a short detour to an information board. The path eventually reaches a forestry track where you turn right.
2. The route is level for a short distance through plantation pines until you reach another junction where you turn left and head gently uphill. After a while a nature hide is reached on the left hand side. The hide overlooks a valley where the forestry has been thinned and in some places cleared and replanted with native species to try and increase the biodiversity of the area. There are leaflets inside the hide of the animals and birds that you may spot.
3. On leaving the hide turn left on the track. When the track emerges at a larger track turn left and follow it gently uphill. Keep left at a junction and pass a small pool used as a water resource in case of forest fires and go through a gate and continue uphill. The track passes over open heather moorland. Turn right at a junction and head towards a small mast.
4. Just before reaching the mast, there is a viewpoint with bench and indicator on the right hand side. Here you can see the names of the hills, farms and villages visible from here. From the viewpoint retrace your steps back down the track turning left to return downhill and then through the gate to the small pond. Keep going downhill until you take a fork to the left and soon pass through a gate. Follow this track through a second gate.
5. At the next junction turn right and head downhill passing above a house and outbuildings. Where the track merges with another track turn left and continue dowhill passing the entrance to the house and eventually reaching the car park and the starting point for the walk.
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