Newtonmore to Kincraig

Summary

The sixth stage of the East Highland Way heads from the town of Newtonmore via moorland and Loch Gynack to reach Kingussie, capital of Badenoch. The route then crosses the Insh Marshes - a stunning place for birdwatchers - before visiting Loch Insh en route to Kincraig.

Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Paths throughout, some indistinct sections and several muddy stretches in forestry. Initial section crosses moorland.

Getting there

Start

Centre of Newtonmore.

Public Transport

Bus/train to Newtonmore; bus services to Kincraig.

Start Grid Ref

NN715991

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Services

Both Newtonmore and Kingussie (reached just afterwards) are small towns with shops. They have hotels, guest houses, B&B and hostel accomodation. There is also a campsite. Kincraig has a cafe and a hotel.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 23.75km / 14.75 miles
Time: 6.5 - 7 hours
Ascent: 280m (Profile)

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Walk Description

User reports (2)

Stage 1

Head east along the Main Street in Newtonmore, towards Kingussie. Pass the Highlander Hotel and soon turn left up Strone Rd. After a black timber house on your right stay on the road as it bends left with views to the open moorland ahead. Take the next fork on the right (with water authority sign) and go through the next gate then fork right to soon head over a footbridge. Follow the track left beyond. It soon fords another burn but with a footbridge alongside. Continue until the track bends right, then keep on a path ahead towards the corner of a forestry plantation. Turn right here, through the gate, and continue alongside the plantation for around 500m, crossing a footbridge and then keeping straight ahead onto a track.

Stage 2

Eventually the track for Kingussie swings away to the right. Follow this track, marked with curlew marker posts. Eventually the route passes through a gate in a fence and a gap in a drystone wall. Ignore the track turning right just beyond, continuing ahead across the foot of the grassy northern slopes of Creag Bheag, passing the scant remains of long abandoned townships. At a fork keep right. A curlew marker posts indicates where to leave the track for a path on the right, leading past the southern side of lonely Loch Gynack and through some attractive birch woodland. Eventually a crossroads of paths is reached; go straight ahead here, following part of the Golf Course circular.

Stage 3

The path continues southwards through the woods, and is boggy underfoot in places with some boardwalks. Pass through a gate at another signpost; eventually the route emerges onto a rough track at the caravan park. Meet a tarred road and follow this to the right towards Kingussie. The road leads straight into the town, but it is more interesting to follow the Mill Trail; for this route turn left as signed to cross a footbridge, climb up the path then turn right along the road. After a short distance a path cuts off right between gardens and rejoins the Allt Gynack. Continue following the waymarkers, passing the old mill and finally across another footbridge. Turn left to continue down to the centre of Kingussie beside the Duke of Gordon Hotel. At the main street, turn right and then immediately left on Station Road, alongside the park,

Stage 4

Continue down the road, passing the station and Kingussie High School. Immediately after the school take a path which runs through the pine trees, parallel to the road on the left side. When a picnic table is reached the road is rejoined and leads on, crossing a bridge over the Spey and then under the A9. At a junction, keep to the main road as it bends left. The road now leads past the impressive ruins of Ruthven Barracks, one of four built around Scotland in 1719 after the first Jacobite uprising; the situation commands a grand view over Badenoch. Continue along the road for just over another kilometre to the entrance to the Insh Marshes National Nature Reserve and a sign for the start/end of the Badenoch Way. Leave the road, cross the track to the car park and instead follow the Badenoch Way footpath which leads off to the right of the notice board.

Stage 5

The Insh Marshes are important for wildlife as they are the largest area of floodplain in Britain that has not been improved or drained meaning it supports a vast array of different species. It also means that as the marshes flood naturally several times a year the views are often different on each visit. The path immediately splits; the left branch leads to the top of a new hide with a superb view over the marsh, but the East Highland Way takes the right branch, the Badenoch Way, which is followed for the rest of this stage. Soon a sign indicates an optional detour to another hide down to the left; continue ahead along the trail until a signed t-junction is reached. Here the left branch leads to a picnic area and viewpoint, whereas the walk continues through the gate to the right. When a track is reached the trail goes straight across on the far side, then white arrow signs indicate the way as the path swings left and then right, until a bench looking down the strath.

Stage 6

The trail descends and then forks; a left branch detours to an old churchyard, but the route continues to the right. At the bottom of the hill the path turns right alongside a stone wall, and then a short fenced section. Continue with a fence on the left, soon coming alongside the River Tromie. Pass the first of two wooden huts and follow the trail as it is signed forking right away from the river. Ignore the next white arrow which points right (back towards the car park) and instead head left to reach the B970 road once more, through a gate.

Stage 7

Turn left along the road, crossing a bridge over the foaming River Tromie. Turn right on the far side, up a track signed as a right of way to Atholl via the Gaick, then, after 300m, take a sharp left signed for the Badenoch Way. The track leads to the hamlet of Drumguish. Go straight ahead at the minor road junction, with the tarmac giving way to a stony and then muddy track which plunges into forestry. Continue along the main route, passing through a gate and running alongside a fence during a more open, heathery section. After another gate the route becomes a larger track; continue ahead through the hamlet of Inveruglas.

Stage 8

Keep straight ahead when the main track swings left, passing through a gate after the last house and keeping ahead again at another signed junction alongside a pine plantation. Head through another gate, and ignore two further paths heading off to the left. Eventually a tarred drive is reached; turn right along this, through a metal gate, then left at a junction of forestry tracks. Keep a look out for a waymarker post and narrow path branching off to the left into the trees - this could be easily missed. Follow this path through the plantations; the going is boggy in places with some boardwalk. Keep left then right at two junctions - both marked for the Badenoch Way. Follow a track downhill below pylons, before branching left onto a path (Badenoch Way marker) once more. This follows telegraph poles downhill until a track is reached. Turn left along this, following it almost to the B970 road. Before emerging on the road, turn right onto a path which runs parallel to it.

Stage 9

Head very briefly to the right along the road; ignore the track off left but instead take a signed footpath into the woods alongside it. Go left at a path junction (signed Badenoch Way), then follow a path downhill through the trees, eventually turning right at a 'Lochside Trail' sign, with the path reaching the shores of Loch Insh. Continue briefly beside the loch before the markers indicate a route up steps, along a high bank then down steps. Another set of steps and the path climbs up and eventually reaches the road. Turn left along this, then left again onto a fenced path near modern houses. This leads to Loch Insh watersports, which has a cafe. To continue the walk, head through the centre to reach the main road, which has a path on its left side at first and then on the right. The road leads all the way into the village of Kincraig, which has the excellent Old Post Office cafe and nearby B&Bs; whereas the next part of the East Highland Way branches off right onto a track signed 'Footpath to Feshiebridge'.

Next stage: Kincraig to Aviemore

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