The Lion's Face and the Cromlins, Braemar

Click to Install our FREE APP
Download our route guides and use offline with free GPS mapping

Hear pronunciation Press to hear pronunciation

This excellent circuit through the pinewoods and fields east of Braemar offers some superb viewpoints and much of interest, including the opportunity to visit Braemar Castle.

Terrain

Waymarked footpaths throughout. A fair amount of ascent is involved.

Public Transport

Regular bus service between Braemar and Aberdeen.

Start

Braemar village centre. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

Users' reports

Read about the experiences of our users on this route.
There are 4 reports from this walk - click to read them.

Write your own walk report on Walkhighlands to share your experience. £150 of gear to be won from Highlander for the best reports each month.

Currently 3.11/59

User Rating
Log in to vote

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Walk Description

Stage 1

Start the walk from the centre of Braemar; if you turn off the A93 onto the Linn of Dee road into the village, there is a car park immediately on the left. To begin the walk, head up the pedestrian ramp from the car park up to the A93. The walk now heads up the lane starting to the left of the church, with a green wooden signpost. Continue along this lane for around three hundred metres until it curves to the right; here continue ahead into the woods through the large gate.

Stage 2

Just inside the woods, a finger-post sign indicates the route; take the path which heads straight on, signed for Lion's Face and Queen's Drive. Keep ahead when the path crosses a faint grassy track. When the path seems to fork again, keep on the main route which is the left fork. The walk now climbs up through the pinewoods, keeping to the main path. Another junction is reached at a small bench; keep right here. Eventually the path passes through a gap in a tumbledown stone wall and then follow this to the right, emerging from the woods onto a wide path at a wooden signpost.

Stage 3

The piles of stones to the right are all that remains of a cottage which was the home of Mr and Mrs Thompson. They were relatives of John Brown, Queen Victoria's famous servant, and the Queen often came here with him to bring tobacco and tea to the Thompsons. The wide path heading downhill to the right here is still known as the Queen's Drive; it makes a fine walk in its own right and leads to the A93, which can then be followed back into Braemar. Our route, however, turns left on a beautifully made path, and has views towards the Cairngorms.

Stage 4

After a short distance the path reaches a bench at an even better viewpoint; the backdrop of the Cairngorms now has a wonderful foreground of the Dee valley; the massive and ornate stately home that can be seen is not Braemar Castle as might be thought; it is Invercauld House, still the private home of the Farquharson family. To the left can be seen the tors along the summit of Ben Avon. Continue along the path, soon passing beneath a rocky crag. This is the Lion's Face, but the resemblance is only apparent from across the valley, though today the view of the rocks can be obscured by the trees.

Stage 5

Beyond the Lion's Face the path begins to slope downhill; soon it crosses a bridge over a small stream before doubling back and crossing it again further down. Once down to valley level the A93 can be seen through the trees to the right. As the path approaches a small quarry, head to the right towards a gate on the A93, then turning left to follow a rough path in the woods right by the road. Once beyond the quarry the path heads uphill a little and briefly becomes a track. It passes a small trench - constructed during World War Two by Braemar's Home Guard, before sloping back down to a gate beside the A93. The walk continues by turning left uphill on the far side, but first it is worth turning right and crossing the road (with care) to have a closer look at Braemar Castle. This is open to the public in the summer months.

Stage 6

Back across the road the route continues by climbing uphill beside the fence. Soon the fine viewpoint of the Cromlins is reached, looking across to Braemar and the Upper Dee valley through the fields; an indicator helps identify the distant peaks. Further on the path crosses a big stile to enter the forest. Continue through the trees on a rough path, being careful to follow the markers. Finally a junction is reached; the path to the left is the route up Creag Chòinnich which is a good way to extend the walk; otherwise turn right to follow the path back down to Braemar.

Can you help support Walkhighlands?

Please consider setting up a direct debit donation to help support the continued maintenance and updates to Walkhighlands.

The Lion's Face and the Cromlins, Braemar

Click to Install our FREE APP
Download our route guides and use offline with free GPS mapping

Terrain

Public Transport

Start

Users' reports

Walk Statistics

Mapping and GPS

Does your firm want to sponsor this route?

Accommodation