People tend to use the Speyside Way to walk along the river, but this loop from Aberlour to the outskirts of Carron and back is both prettier and sunnier than TSW. It is an easy 10k loop on hard LRT and forestry road and you can start/finish from the Victorian suspension bridge over the Spey or the Mash Tun pub.

Doing the route anticlockwise means a gradual ascent along an undulating track through deciduous woodland. To your left views of the Spey valley and Ben Rinnes open out, and on sunny days the smell of the pines wafts up as the trees soak up the sunshine.



After several ks you emerge from the woodland onto a more open farm track and so onto a tarmac minor road.



Turn left (Southwest) when you join the tarmac and descend gradually, passing farms on your left then an old mill on your right until you spy a sign 'To the River Spey' on your left. This path tumbles down following the route of a tributary chuckling alongside you, eventually spitting you out on the North bank of the Spey. Here veer left (northeast) along a rather decayed forestry track. After a short distance, when it splits, take the right fork. Walk carefully along the field margin, respecting the farmer's crops for about 300 metres, directly towards the river and an old gate which is clearly visible.



Turn left onto the well defined track right on the river bank for a pleasant undemanding stroll which will take you past many of the salmon pools and fishing bothies until you return to the bridge.



My gpx provides a track of the route I described but it would be easy to extend the walk by continuing on the tarmac into Carron, crossing the Spey by means of the road bridge and then heading back to Aberlour on the South bank of the river along the Speyside Way.

Being easy to walk, navigate and a modest distance I think it makes a great walk for the winter, for a family Sunday outing and those kinds of occasion - hope you give it a try and enjoy it if you're in the area.