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Dava Way in one day

Dava Way in one day


Postby Sman1957 » Wed Jun 08, 2022 9:20 am

Route description: Dava Way

Date walked: 08/06/2022

Time taken: 1 day

Distance: 38 km

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I planned to do the Dava Way over two days. It was at short notice when my partner announced she was going up to Rothiemurchus on the evening of the 25th of May. I went with her and I got a lift to Grantown on the morning of the 26th and set off at 8.15 am. The forecast was not great, but hey ho this is Scotland. The walk is very well posted and it follows the railway line for most of its extent, with diversions really well signposted. This was a welcome change from the posting I experienced two weeks earlier on the moray coastal path. Diversions on that walk were really poorly posted. The Dava Way walk is pretty easy and I found myself at the end of stage one before mid morning and the end of stage 2 by 1 o clock. I had intended setting up camp at about the 16 mile mark, finishing the Dava Way the next day and then continuing on from Forres to Findhorn and spending a night there as well. I decided to keep going and got to Forres by 4.30 that day. The walk I loved. A mix of forest, moor and lush farmland and little in the way of ascent. It can be a bit muddy underfoot at sections, but nothing problematic. There are a lot of Information Boards and a couple of wooden sculptures on route, and the boards were really informative. This walk is very doable in a day if you get an early start. I grabbed something to eat in Forres and asked in the pub which camp site they would recommend. Turns out there are none in or around Forres. The nearest one seemed to be the one just short of Findhorn that I would have been going to the next day anyway. I had done 24 miles and the idea of another 5 was not attractive, but I decided I would start and try to find somewhere suitable to wild camp as I headed towards Findhorn. It started raining and the sky told me it was not stopping. The further I went the more reluctant I became to set up the tent in less than ideal conditions, and when I got beyond the half way mark between Forres and Findhorn I decided I was finishing the day in the Findhorn campsite. Finally arrived at 8.30 pm. Still pouring rain. Set up tent, outer first, then had a cuppa soup and a hot chocolate. Walked along to lovely pub and got on the outside of two warming brandies in spicy ginger beer. 29 miles of walking meant a great nights sleep. This was only my second walk, the Moray coastal being my first. I had done a lot of day walking, and had decided to move up to longer treks. Dava Way and Moray Coastal are both good walks, and I would recommend them to anyone thinking of making the move up from day walks to overnight treks. I am finding that there is a steep learning curve. I had originally bought a cheap tent which was too heavy for a backpack, and then got myself an Alpkit Solist. Great tent and very waterproof, judging by the deluges it has survived on my first two walks. I have replaced my solid sleep mat with a much smaller lighter inflatable one, and will replace my Ruck Sack with a lighter one if I can sell my current one. On the issue I faced on the walk that was down to my lack of planning. I should have checked the position in Forres re camping before actually getting there. I would not choose to walk 29 miles in a day and was exhausted by the end of it. I will plan better the next time. Which walk next?
Sman1957
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Re: Dava Way in one day

Postby annamaxlennan » Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:55 pm

Great report! Glad you had a good time, last minute plans are always nice when they work out like this.

Been eyeing up this route for a while as I want to do it with my 21 month old, but keep delaying for some reason. Think it's the unknown of how far we can go in a day and the dilemma with camping / accommodation if we go further / less than anticipated.

Your report has encouraged me to just do it so hopefully soon. Thanks for writing it! Looking forward to seeing what walk you pick next.
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Re: Dava Way in one day

Postby JWCW2014 » Fri Aug 19, 2022 10:47 pm

annamaxlennan wrote:Great report! Glad you had a good time, last minute plans are always nice when they work out like this.

Been eyeing up this route for a while as I want to do it with my 21 month old, but keep delaying for some reason. Think it's the unknown of how far we can go in a day and the dilemma with camping / accommodation if we go further / less than anticipated.

Your report has encouraged me to just do it so hopefully soon. Thanks for writing it! Looking forward to seeing what walk you pick next.


It’s been a few years since mine were in a carrier - I remember the weight well! I used to struggle carrying items for the day and the carrier on my back do they have clever solutions now?
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JWCW2014
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Posts: 429
Munros:90   Corbetts:4
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Re: Dava Way in one day

Postby annamaxlennan » Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:53 am

JWCW2014 wrote:
annamaxlennan wrote:Great report! Glad you had a good time, last minute plans are always nice when they work out like this.

Been eyeing up this route for a while as I want to do it with my 21 month old, but keep delaying for some reason. Think it's the unknown of how far we can go in a day and the dilemma with camping / accommodation if we go further / less than anticipated.

Your report has encouraged me to just do it so hopefully soon. Thanks for writing it! Looking forward to seeing what walk you pick next.


It’s been a few years since mine were in a carrier - I remember the weight well! I used to struggle carrying items for the day and the carrier on my back do they have clever solutions now?



I imagine it'll be hard to forget the feeling of bruised hips and sore shoulders :lol: what type of carrier did you have? i feel thats the reason why i'm postponing this walk, carrying everything! i think everything's probably much and such the same as when you would've used a carrier, although now i've a front carrier that attaches to a hiking bag - designed for long distance hikes etc, so maybe that could work! it's called a trail magic carrier if you're interested in looking up.
annamaxlennan
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Re: Dava Way in one day

Postby JWCW2014 » Tue Aug 23, 2022 12:57 pm

annamaxlennan wrote:
JWCW2014 wrote:
annamaxlennan wrote:Great report! Glad you had a good time, last minute plans are always nice when they work out like this.

Been eyeing up this route for a while as I want to do it with my 21 month old, but keep delaying for some reason. Think it's the unknown of how far we can go in a day and the dilemma with camping / accommodation if we go further / less than anticipated.

Your report has encouraged me to just do it so hopefully soon. Thanks for writing it! Looking forward to seeing what walk you pick next.


It’s been a few years since mine were in a carrier - I remember the weight well! I used to struggle carrying items for the day and the carrier on my back do they have clever solutions now?



I imagine it'll be hard to forget the feeling of bruised hips and sore shoulders :lol: what type of carrier did you have? i feel thats the reason why i'm postponing this walk, carrying everything! i think everything's probably much and such the same as when you would've used a carrier, although now i've a front carrier that attaches to a hiking bag - designed for long distance hikes etc, so maybe that could work! it's called a trail magic carrier if you're interested in looking up.


After a long weekend in the cairngorms last week with heavy camping gear a small amount of that feeling returned - don’t miss the bruised hood (that said at least relatively budget camping gear doesn’t shift its weight regularly….)

That looks like a much better solution - I had something bought in 2014 that was very heavy and rigid - it was particularly difficult to use when my daughter was older and remember nearly losing balance on a few small hills when she would move around.

Thankfully my oldest is now able to walk entirely under his own steam and the youngest building up to tackling munros in a year or two - it had its own challenges but back pain isn’t one of them
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JWCW2014
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Posts: 429
Munros:90   Corbetts:4
Fionas:1   Donalds:1+0
Sub 2000:12   
Islands:11
Joined: May 31, 2022

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