This waymarked trail makes a beautiful circuit around Loch Kinord in the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve. The walk is excellent for both bird-watches and wildlife spotters, both on the loch and in the surrounding birch woodland.
Summary
Waymarked path throughout.
Terrain
Users'
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1. The walk begins from the Burn O' Vat car park on the Ballater to Aboyne road. There is a small visitor centre and toilets here, as well as several waymarked walks. This route, which has blue/white duck waymarkers, begins by crossing the tarmac road to reach a 't'-junction with a path. Turn right along this path which runs through beautiful natural birchwoods, heavily draped with lichen. The path crosses a small footbridge and then meets a track; head straight across this where the path continues alongside a stone wall at first.
2. The nature reserve has some fine small forest lochs, ideal for dragonfly; pass to the right of one of these, and then left of another. When the grassy track ascends towards a little chapel, leave it and head left to the shores of Loch Kinord (waymarked). The path now runs close to the shore, at one point passing a small wooden hide (locked). Divert to the right away from the loch temporarily by an area piled with stones from the fields nearby; the path runs alongside a fence before turning back down to the shores.
3. Go through a gap in a dry stone wall and further on cross a wooden footbridge. At this point a path comes in from the right; this leads to Dinnet which is an alternative start point for the walk. To continue the circuit, turn left. Follow the waymarked path through the trees, twice passing through gaps in tumbledown drystone walls. At one point the path swings back right to pass through a gate, and then heads back down to the lochside. Look out for whooper swans as well as geese in the winter months; both spend the colder months here. The path now runs right beside the water once more.
4. A wooden signpost indicates a path going off to the right to New Kinord, whilst our route continues by the loch. At this point, look left across the water to a small overgrown island - this is the remains of a crannog, an iron-age dwelling built on wooden piles driven into the loch. Further on the path goes through a small gate and then finally leaves the loch where a marker post indicates to turn right. As you ascend slightly, take a look at the finely carved stone enclosed by a fence; this is a Pictish symbol stone and is thought to date from the ninth century.
5. Beyond the stone the path joins a grassy track; turn left along this, through an area of fine birches. A waymarker post then indicates the place to turn left again, and then right. Cross a surfaced turning area with a cairn dedicated to the Silver Jubilee; the path continues ahead from here to a wooden fingerpost, where you should turn right. Join a larger track, turning left off this just before it reaches a road, then finally turn right as the Burn o' Vat car park and visitor centre come into view at last.
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