There’s nothing better than getting the whole family together for a stroll through a forest on a beautiful day, and Deeside is one of the best places in Scotland to go for woodland walks.
With much of the region within the boundaries of the Cairngorms National Park, Deeside has huge swathes of woods to enjoy.
It can sometimes be tricky thinking of the best places to go with your kids on a day in the countryside, so here are four of our favourite forests all the way from Banchory to Braemar for you and your loved ones to enjoy.
We’ve also included a handy interactive map showing the car parks for each of these woodland walking areas.
1: Glen Tanar
Glen Tanar, located a short drive away from Aboyne, is home to one of the largest areas of Caledonian Forest in Scotland.
The expansive pinewoods contain all sorts of marked paths suitable for all abilities, taking walkers on routes past beautiful rivers, towering trees, and scenic lochs.
@Glen_Tanar today, trees simply stunning. Beautiful place for a wander. pic.twitter.com/VB6HQ6xnhb
— Hillgoers (@hillgoers) October 19, 2019
Walkers with more little legs might enjoy a shorter stroll along the Fairy Lochan path from the Glen Tanar Charitable Trust visitor centre, while the more adventurous can enjoy a longer hike along the Old Pines route.
The ‘Water of Tanar’ in its winter breeks!👖⛄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/ZbPXEGwOPv
— Glen Tanar (@Glen_Tanar) January 30, 2020
The visitor centre has toilet facilities, as well as information about the beasties you may find on your walk.
You can get to the car park by taking a short drive south of Aboyne.
Follow the signs for Glen Tanar, along the B976 road, go over the bridge by the Tower O’Ess, and you can find the car park eventually on your right, opposite a bridge to the visitor centre.
The car park charges a small fee.
2: Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve
The Muir of Dinnet is one of Scotland’s many National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Although it is perhaps best known for the spectacular Burn O’ Vat and its incredible waterfall, the reserve features all sorts of opportunities for Deeside walks you may not have tried before.
You can get to the free car park by driving a little bit east of Dinnet, then driving north along the B9119, and you’ll see it on your left.
From here you and your family can enjoy a variety of signposted trails, including into the Burn O’ Vat itself, or around the tree-lined shores of Loch Kinord.
All around the estate you and the kids can spot all sorts of woodland wildlife, including adders sunbathing in the summertime if you’re lucky.
And you can learn all about the history of the reserve, where humans have lived for thousands of years — keep an eye out for the Pictish cross.
As well as the car park, there’s a seasonal visitor centre where you can find out more about the animals who live in the area, and how glaciers carved out the landscape.
Toilets are available near the visitor centre year-round.
3: Cambus O’May Forest Trails
If you’re having a long day out enjoying Deeside walks, you can always pair up a visit to the Muir of Dinnet NNR with a stroll through the Cambus O’ May woodlands.
The entrance of the free car park is easy to find, located just off the A93 road between Dinnet and Ballater on the north side — keep an eye out for the brown Cambus O’May Forest Trails sign.
There are three clearly signposted paths to take through the gorgeous pine forests, from the short Lochside Trail loop to the longer Two Lochans Trail, which is about one and a half miles long.
Fortunate wildlife watchers may get the chance to see red squirrels scampering around the trees, or even an extremely rare capercaillie along the Forest and Land Scotland paths.
There are no public toilets here, so it may be a good idea for little ones to visit the loo before their walk.
But if you’re hungry, the Courie Courie bakery and cafe is nearby, just a little bit along the main road towards Ballater from the car park turn-off.
Finally, when in the area it’s always a great idea to pop by the nearby Cambus O’May suspension bridge, a beautiful, white river crossing that was built in 1905, and has been recently reopened after severe damage from Storm Frank in 2015.
4: Braemar woodland walks
At the furthest east reaches of Deeside lies Braemar, a focal point for seasoned Munro baggers and mountain climbers from all over Scotland.
But the village also has plenty of opportunities for families wanting to take youngsters on shorter Deeside walks.
There’s a free car park and toilets in the centre of Braemar on Balnellan Road, and from here you can enjoy a good number of clearly waymarked walking routes.
The Morrone Birkwood path, which is about two and a half miles long, takes you along a route through beautiful birch trees, as well as a duck pond, to the west of the village.
View over Morrone Birkwood above #Braemar yesterday, looking towards Mar Lodge Estate in the #Cairngorms National Park #Aberdeenshire #Scotland in this beautiful weather@MarLodgeNTS @SeanBattySTV @wildscotland @visitabdn @VisitCairngrms @royaldeeside @SNHnortheast pic.twitter.com/YAwHDx1Jkx
— Braemar Media (@BraemarMedia) May 7, 2020
And if you head east, you can take on the Queen’s Drive or Lion’s Face routes, that takes families through a scenic woodland of huge pine trees.
For little adventurers keen to know more about nature, these woods to the east of Braemar host a number of information panels with facts about wildlife, and hides to potentially view red squirrels or birds from.
And if you choose to take on the four-mile-long Lion’s Face route, you’ll be treated to amazing views of Braemar Castle, and across the gorgeous mountain skyline.
Here’s a map of starting points and car parks for all the Deeside walks listed in this article:
More walks in the north and north-east:
- Five of the most stunning walks near Inverness
- Five coastal walks in Aberdeenshire you might not have tried
- Five stunning autumnal walks in Moray
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