Castle Roy circuit, Nethy Bridge

Hear pronunciation Press to hear pronunciation

This figure-of-eight walk from Nethy Bridge follows a variety of paths and passes the ruins of Castle Roy, a thirteenth century fortress.

Terrain

Waymarked footpaths, muddy in parts; fair amount of up and down.

Public Transport

Buses from Aviemore and Grantown.

Start

Balnagowan Wood car park, Nethy Bridge. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

Users' reports

As well as reading our description of each walking route, you can read about the experiences of others users on this walk and others.
There are 2 user reports for this walk - click to read them.

Write your own report - there's £150 to win from Cotswold Outdoor each month

Currently 2.33/59

User Rating
Log in to vote

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Walk Description

Stage 1

Park in Balnagowan woods car park, which are reached from the bridge over the Nethy via the road through the north side of Nethy Bridge, and turning left in the settlement of Causer. The car park is on the left just after the last houses. A network of eight waymarked trails have been set up in Nethy Bridge; this walk follows just one of them. Another is the Riverside and Dell woods circuit; for details of the others visit the Abernethy Room at the Nethy Bridge community centre. Begin the walk by leaving the car park and crossing the road and heading onto the cycleway that runs along the far side. Turn right along it, then left through a kissing gate onto a path, waymarked with the Castle symbol, that runs through the woods, parallel with the back gardens of some of the houses of Causer.

Stage 2

At the corner of the last garden the path keeps straight ahead, crossing a small wooden bridge. and keeps left when it is joined by a larger path coming in from the village. Continue ahead until you almost reach a minor road; the path keeps left here in the woods, parallel to the road for quite some distance. Pass through an informal turning area and keep ahead on the path parallel to the road until a marker post indicates a left turn back away from the road into the woods. Just after passing a small boggy area (a lochan on maps), turn right as waymarked. The path continues and eventually meets a minor road at a stile.

Stage 3

Head straight across the minor road onto a track, and turn right at the next track 't' junction - as waymarked. After a short distance, look out for the marker indicating a turn onto a path to the left. This passes alongside an obstacle course and crosses a footbridge over the burn. The bridge is in poor condition - it is officially closed so crossing it is at your own risk. Beyond, the path becomes more open as it swings left and then ascends to reach a white cottage. Turn left through a gate, passing to the immediate left of the cottage and onto its drive. Continue straight ahead to reach a road near a church. The ruins of Castle Roy seen beyond have recently been stabilised - you can visit and ascend a staircase up the walls, or enjoy a picnic on the tables just beyond. Otherwise, turn right along a path that runs parallel to the road, giving views of the ruins of the castle across the road.

Stage 4

Eventually the path reaches a track turning right into the woods - follow this. Ignore a turning to the left with a capercaillie marker. Instead keep uphill on the main track, which curves round to the right. After almost a kilometre look out for a red arrow pointing to a small path on the right - take this path, passing through the woods close to some white cottages. As the path descends there are glimpses of the huge Aultmore house to the left. The path turns left (red marker) just before a farm gate, and instead goes through a foot-gate before heading right between a wall and a fence. It then keeps above a bank before emerging by the white cottage reached earlier before the visit to Castle Roy. Turn left, retracing your outward route over the bridge, and keeping right onto the track.

Stage 5

When you reach the 't' junction by a chalet where you came in from the left earlier, keep straight on (signed 'Village'). At the road, go straight ahead along the tarmac, and further on a marker indicates turn left into the woods. The path runs close to the fence of the local school - turn right at a path junction (waymarker). Pass over a tiny bridge and go through a kissing gate. The path from here has been improved for children on their way to school; follow the made-up path which runs parallel to the road back to Nethy Bridge. Just before the houses, go right and cross the road to the car park at the start.

Enjoyed this walk route or find Walkhighlands useful?

Please consider setting up a direct debit donation to help support the continued maintenance and updates to Walkhighlands.

Castle Roy circuit, Nethy Bridge

Terrain

Public Transport

Start

Users' reports

Walk Statistics

Mapping and GPS

Does your firm want to sponsor this route?

Accommodation