This excellent circuit through the pinewoods and fields has some superb views and much of interest, including the opportunity to visit Braemar Castle.
Summary
Waymarked footpaths throughout. A fair amount of ascent is involved.
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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 to the A93 and turn right. Almost immediately a wooden signpost indicates a turn to the left up a lane beside the church. 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. Once in the woods, a finger-post sign indicates the footpaths in the woods; our route keeps right and follows the yellow waymarks. When the path seems to fork again, keep on the main route which is the left fork.
2. The walk now climbs up through the pinewoods, keeping to the main path and ignoring branches off to the right. Much higher up, the path begins to cut across the slope to the right - ignore a narrower trod which heads straight on. Pass 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. 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 the Thompson's tobacco and tea. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 Choinnich which is a good way to extend the walk; otherwise turn right to follow the path back down to Braemar.
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Route profile
