This circular walk takes in the impressive geological feature known as the Vat, a deep, water gouged bowl that you can enter, and then rises through pleasant pinewoods and more open countryside to make a good circuit through the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve.
Forest paths; the Vat is visited using stepping stones.
None to start.
Burn O' Vat visitor centre car park.
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. Start the walk by passing in front of the visitors centre and then to the left of the toilet block. Follow the waymarkers with the Vat symbol as the path descends gently and bears right. Soon the path crosses a green wooden bridge and follows the water upstream. Keep straight on where a second bridge turns to the right. After a short while it appears that the way is blocked by large rocks. This is the entrance to the Vat.
To climb into the Vat, follow the stream and keeping on the right hand side, use the stepping stones to keep above the water. Care is needed and at times of very high water levels it may not be possible to negotiate the entrance. Once inside, the immense size of the water-carved bowl becomes evident. Formed after the last ice-age, the Vat has been a popular attraction since Victorian times and has a long history as a hiding place for fugitives. When you have explored the area return by the same entrance and follow the path back down to the bridge.
Turn left to cross the bridge and climb up the pitched steps of the path opposite. Continue uphill, turning left at a minor junction eventually reaching a second junction. The path to the right here is the waymarked route straight back to the car park - our longer walk turns left. The path continues to climb through the trees, high above the Burn o'Vat which is down to the left. At the signed junction at the top of the climb, beneath some electricity pylons, turn right (where a left turn leads to the Cambus O'May). The path - becoming a grassy track - levels out and passes through a more open area with heather between the trees. The route then turns downhill through very pleasant scattered pinewoods.
Eventually the track descends to the valley level and emerges onto a wider track. Turn right here and follow it down until you reach the main road. Cross the road and go through a gap in the wall on the far side to turn right onto a grassy path which runs alongside the road. This passes a farm and house on the right and then passes through a stone wall and turns left into the birch wood. Follow the clear path as it meanders through the wood with views towards Loch Davan to the left.
Keep on through the wood. Eventually a junction is reached with a more surfaced path; turn right here to begin following the blue duck and yellow cross markers. Eventually the path emerges into a small turning area. Cross this and follow the path that runs adjacent to the road. Soon the path turns down to the left into the trees to avoid reaching the road. Further another junction is reached - this time turn right, signed for the car park. The path reaches the road immediately opposite the visitor centre and start of the walk.
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