Feagour to Laggan

Summary

The fourth stage of the East Highland Way is a fairly short easy day with good open views which can be extended by a visit to the Pictish fort of Dun da Lamh, or could even be combined with the next stage to make one long day. Hotel and a cafe at Laggan.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

Forest tracks and minor road

Public Transport

There's a school bus connecting Laggan with Kingussie and Newtonmore on school days and times only. The bus extends as far as Strathmashie House just over 2km from Feagour (busy road). Accommodation providers may drop/pick up from start.

Start

Feagour on A86 near Pattack Falls. Open in Google Maps.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 8.5km / 5.25 miles
Time: 2.5 - 3 hours
Ascent: 67m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NN567903

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Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (0)

Stage 1

From the end of the last stage on the A86 opposite the house at Feagour turn left onto the A86 for a very short distance and turn right onto an unmarked track, just to the west of the house, which heads towards the forestry. Soon at a junction turn right following blue arrows for the Blackwood Walk. The track crosses an open area at the foot of the hill before narrowing to a path (sometimes boggy) as it approaches pines ahead.

Stage 2

Follow the waymarked path up through the trees. At a fork with a bench keep left uphill (blue arrow). When the path emerges onto a forest track turn right. At the next junction with a bench, the East Highland Way forks right to head downhill on another track. If you want to visit Dun da-Lamh fort at the top of Black Craig which is very atmospheric and has great views, continue on the track heading uphill and return back to this junction to continue the route afterwards. The remains of the fort are impressive for its great age (it dates from the earliest Pictish period), and its position is almost impregnable atop its crag. The outer wall is up to twenty feet thick, and there are also remains of an inner wall. The stones did not originate in this area, and have a total weight of over 5,000 tons. Continuing on the East Highland Way having taken the track heading downhill from the bench pass through the area of felled forestry with open views down the strath.

Stage 3

Eventually a waymarked T junction is reached, turn left here signed for Spey Dam and gently descend with views ahead to the outliers of the Monadhliath mountains (if you want to visit the cafe at Laggan Wolftrax mountain biking centre, turn right to reach the A86 in 1km where the centre is just to the right). At the junction with the surfaced road, turn sharp right onto it to follow a short section of one of General Wade's military roads to reach the bridge over the Spey. Once over the bridge you can detour left to visit the Spey Dam otherwise the route turns right to follow the road east all the way to Laggan.

Stage 4

At first the road shadows the River Spey. Fairly small here the river soon grows as it heads down Speyside and is Scotland's fastest flowing river and a prized salmon fishery. The road turns abruptly north to cross the broad strath before continuing east, passing the farm at Blargie.

Stage 5

The easy road walk to Laggan is delightful in good weather with good views ahead and back to Black Craig. Laggan itself is a small community a public toilet, cafe (sells some essential supplies), village hall (basic accommodation sometimes available) and a hotel further along the route.

Next stage: Laggan to Newtonmore

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