Nethy Bridge riverside and Dell woods

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This is a walk of two halves, the first alongside the burbling River Nethy and then through beautiful Dell Woods (a National Nature Reserve) to return to Nethy Bridge. An easy short walk on good, waymarked paths, with plenty of variety and the option to extend the walk.

Terrain

Excellent waymarked paths

Public Transport

Buses from Aviemore and Grantown.

Start

Community centre car park, Nethy Bridge. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Currently 4.00/55

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Walk Description

Stage 1

Start at Nethy Bridge Community Centre where there is parking and toilets. Start the walk by taking the riverside path opposite the community centre. The path drops down to the river and follows it upstream. In the past, timber has, and still does to some extent, play a major part in the local economy. This river was used to transport felled trees to the River Spey and on to the sea at Spey Bay. Dams and sluices further up allowed water to build up which when released would float hundreds of tree trunks downstream. After a short while the all-abilities path turns right but our route continues straight ahead following the river bank.

Stage 2

At a house the path joins a minor road. Turn left and continue until the pretty, green bridge is reached. Don't cross the bridge but continue along the road. Follow the road as it turns sharp right and passes a white house on the left. At the next junction cross the road and follow the path straight ahead through the two sets of beech hedging.

Stage 3

The two large Wellingtonia (giant redwoods) trees and the beech hedges mark the entrance to what used to be the tree nursery established in 1855 to raise pine seedlings for replanting the forest. Today natural regeneration techniques are favoured and the nursery closed in 1984. Continue straight ahead at a small crossroads and keep following the blue and green arrows. Soon the path narrows and meanders through a lovely area of mixed pine wood.

Stage 4

As the path nears the corner of a large white house turn left following the arrowed signs and continue through the pine forest. Eventually the path runs along the back of a number of houses before meeting the all-abilities trail again and heading left further into the wood. When a larger track is reached head downhill (straight ahead) on it following the green arrow, unless you wish to extend the walk by a couple of miles by following the loop of the purple-waymarked 'Puggy line trail' which follows the line of an old railway on the left. After passing a grazing field on the right, the track emerges from the wood onto a road. Turn right and follow the road through houses back to the centre of Nethy Bridge. Just before the river turn left to return to the community centre.

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Nethy Bridge riverside and Dell woods

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Terrain

Public Transport

Start

Users' reports

Walk Statistics

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