Overview

Walking Holidays
8 - 10 Nights
85 miles / 136 km
  • Prices from: £895 per person
  • Start: Buckie, Moray
  • Finish: Newtonmore, Cairngorms
  • Availability: Any start date from March to October
  • Grading: Easy to Moderate
  • Way-marked: Yes

Speyside Way Highlights

Whisky distilleries
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Explore the ‘Malt Whisky Capital of the World’ home to many world-famous working distilleries located near the path, including Macallan, Glenlivet, Balvenie and Glenfiddich.

Cairngorms National Park
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Experience the breathtaking scenery of the majestic Cairngorms National Park – the UK’s largest National Park with huge forests of ancient native trees, cascading waterfalls and an abundance of wildlife.

Ballindalloch Castle
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Visit Ballindalloch Castle, one of the most beautiful castles in Scotland. Known as the ‘Pearl of the North’ the impressive castle was built in the distinctive Scottish baronial style.

The River Spey
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One of the longest and the fastest-flowing rivers in Scotland, the River Spey is a wonderful walking companion. Follow the contours of the river upstream from its dramatic endpoint at Spey Bay to Newtonmore in the Cairngorms.

Wild moorlands
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Walk the Tomintoul Spur across remote and wild heather-clad moorlands, descending to the Glenlivet Distillery for a dram of whisky, before climbing to Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands.

Welcoming villages
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Embrace the warm Highland hospitality of the many attractive villages the trail passes through, as you make your way through this beautiful part of the country.

Discover Scotland’s Malt Whisky Heartland

The Speyside Way is a delightful walking holiday through the heart of our whisky country to the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains. Speyside is one of the loveliest and most unspoilt parts of the British Isles. Dotted with distilleries, rushing rivers and ancient Caledonian forest, this region captures the spirit of Scotland.

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The Speyside Way follows the contours of the River Spey, travelling from Buckie on the Moray coast, through world-famous malt whisky country, to Newtonmore in the Cairngorms National Park. Speyside is a charming area, overlooked by some of the country’s highest mountains and beneath them some of Scotland’s grandest pine forests.

The route takes in fabulous coastal scenery, before heading inland through forests and farmlands, keeping the River Spey nearby as it ventures into the ‘Malt Whisky Capital of the World’. Here you will have plenty of opportunities to sample local spirits, including Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Macallan.

Home to many attractive villages, impressive castles and unique wildlife, Speyside offers lovely walking in the picturesque countryside. The trail is well waymarked throughout, following clear paths and forest tracks. The Tomintoul Spur provides an opportunity to climb up through the wild moors above Glenlivet to reach one of the highest villages in Scotland.

Speyside Way Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is SSW3 which covers the route in 8 days / 9 nights and includes the Tomintoul Spur.

Travel to Buckie for your first night’s accommodation
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Arrive in Buckie and spend the evening at the coast. Once a thriving fishing and shipbuilding port, today Buckie is a small fishing town on the Moray coast with great scenery and wildlife.

Day 1: Buckie to Fochabers (10 miles / 16 km)
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Beginning at Buckpool Harbour, the Speyside Way follows easy paths along the dramatic coastline of the Moray Firth. From Spey Bay it continues along riverside paths and tracks to Fochabers. At the end of your day’s walk pay a visit to Baxters Highland Village to sample their world famous soups and produce – it’s a great way to end the day.

Day 2: Fochabers to Craigellachie (13 miles / 21 km)
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From Fochabers you follow the east bank of the river, joining a quiet road high above the Spey. As the Way follows forest tracks along the side of Ben Aigan there are wonderful views across the Spey valley before descending into the attractive village of Craigellachie.

Visit the Macallan Distillery or extend your route to follow the 4 mile ‘Dufftown Spur’ to this charming little town and the malt whisky capital of the world.

Day 3: Craigellachie to Ballindalloch (12 miles / 19 km)
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Your Speyside Way walk continues its journey south with easy walking through a wooded valley and along the riverside and farmland. It passes through the villages of Aberlour, Carron and Knockando before arriving into Ballindalloch, a small village surrounded by majestic hills and just a scattering of houses.

Here you’ll find Ballindalloch Castle, one of the most beautiful castles in Scotland, known as the ‘pearl of the north’. A visit to the Castle and its gardens will be a real highlight of your walking holiday.

Day 4: Ballindalloch to Tomintoul (15 miles / 24 km)
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This section will provide you with a wonderful taste of walking in wild, isolated countryside and for many this is the most memorable part of the route. You’ll follow a track over the west shoulder of Ben Rinnes, commanding wonderful views before descending to the famous Glenlivet Distillery.

Enjoy a guided tour and a dram of this world famous single malt before climbing to Carn Diamh, which at 1870ft is the highest point on the route, before descending into Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands.

Day 5: Ballindalloch to Grantown-on-Spey (15 miles / 24 km)
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After being transferred back to Ballindalloch, the Way continues past Cragganmore Distillery, crossing farmland and following foresty tracks on its way to Cromdale. The route then follows a meandering track through superb pine woods emerging eventually on the outskirts of Grantown-on-Spey.

Day 6: Grantown-on-Spey to Aviemore (17 miles / 27.5 km)
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On the next leg of your Speyside Way walk you’ll enjoy easy walking amongst the farms, woods and moorland of Strathspey. The route takes you past the Spey Valley Smokehouse and follows a track heading directly for the village of Nethybridge. It crosses the Abernethy Nature Reserve to the village of Boat of Garten.

En route you may wish to take a side trip to Loch Garten, a delightful spot in the depths of Abernethy Forest and where you can visit the RSPB Nature Reserve and Osprey Centre. From Boat of Garten, it is only 6 miles to Aviemore across wonderful heather moorland beside the Strathspey Steam Railway line.

Day 7: Aviemore to Kincraig (6.5 miles / 10.5 km)
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This extension of the Speyside Way was launched in 2015. From Aviemore, you’ll shadow the railway line before passing through idyllic natural birchwoods on the Kinrara Estate. Peaceful walking will be interspersed with glimpses of the dramatic Cairngorm mountains beyond.

Day 8: Kincraig to Newtonmore (13 miles / 21 km)
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The final day of your Speyside Way walk starts by passing through Inshriach Forest. You’ll enjoy lovely views of the picturesque Uath Lochans and the Insh Marshes and Monadliath Mountains. Amid tranquil birch woodlands and impressive Scots pines, you’ll soon reach Kingussie and continue along to your destination of Newtonmore.

Onward travel
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After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the Speyside Way.

What's Included?

Your Speyside Way walking holiday includes:

  • Carefully selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
  • En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
  • Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
  • Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
  • Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
  • Traditional Scottish breakfast
  • 24-hour emergency contact number
  • Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

  • Travel insurance
  • Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
  • Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 4 suggested itineraries for walking the Speyside Way.

Our most popular itinerary is SSW3 which covers the route in 8 days and includes the Tomintoul Spur.

Tour code
Itinerary
Average miles infoAverage miles per day
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty
Price per person
SSW1
7 Days / 8 Nights
12 miles per day
Moderate
From £895
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 12 miles per day
Tour code: SSW1
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Moderate

7 Days / 8 Nights (SSW1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Premium: £50 per night
  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Buckie for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Buckie to Fochabers 10 miles / 16 km
2
Day 2 Fochabers to Craigellachie 13 miles / 21 km
3
Day 3 Craigellachie to Ballindalloch 12 miles / 19 km
4
Day 4 Ballindalloch to Grantown-on-Spey 15 miles / 24 km
5
Day 5 Grantown-on-Spey to Aviemore 17 miles / 27.5 km
6
Day 6 Aviemore to Kincraig (overnight in Newtonmore) 6.5 miles / 10.5 km
7
Day 7 Kincraig to Newtonmore 13 miles / 21 km
Depart Onward travel from Newtonmore

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1140 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £895 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

SSW2
8 Days / 9 Nights
11 miles per day
Easy
From £1010
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 11 miles per day
Tour code: SSW2
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Easy

8 Days / 9 Nights (SSW2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Premium: £50 per night
  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Buckie for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Buckie to Fochabers 10 miles / 16 km
2
Day 2 Fochabers to Craigellachie 13 miles / 21 km
3
Day 3 Craigellachie to Ballindalloch 12 miles / 19 km
4
Day 4 Ballindalloch to Grantown-on-Spey 15 miles / 24 km
5
Day 5 Grantown-on-Spey to Boat-of-Garten 11 miles / 18 km
6
Day 6 Boat-of-Garten to Aviemore 6 miles / 10 km
7
Day 7 Aviemore to Kincraig (overnight in Newtonmore) 6.5 miles / 10.5 km
8
Day 8 Kincraig to Newtonmore 13 miles / 21 km
Depart Onward travel from Newtonmore

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1280 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1010 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

SSW3
8 Days / 9 Nights (Tomintoul Spur)
13 miles per day
Moderate
From £1060
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 13 miles per day
Tour code: SSW3
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Moderate

8 Days / 9 Nights (SSW3)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Additional information

This itinerary includes the Tomintoul spur, which runs from Ballindalloch to Tomintoul – the highest village in the Scottish Highlands. A transfer back to Ballindalloch is included in the package.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Premium: £50 per night
  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Buckie for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Buckie to Fochabers 10 miles / 16 km
2
Day 2 Fochabers to Craigellachie 13 miles / 21 km
3
Day 3 Craigellachie to Ballindalloch 12 miles / 19 km
4
Day 4 Ballindalloch to Tomintoul 15 miles / 24 km
5
Day 5 Ballindalloch to Grantown-on-Spey 15 miles / 24 km
6
Day 6 Grantown-on-Spey to Aviemore 17 miles / 27.5 km
7
Day 7 Aviemore to Kincraig (overnight in Newtonmore) 6.5 miles / 10.5 km
8
Day 8 Kincraig to Newtonmore 13 miles / 21 km
Depart Onward travel from Newtonmore

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1350 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1060 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

SSW4
9 Days / 10 Nights (Tomintoul Spur)
11 miles per day
Moderate
From £1160
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 11 miles per day
Tour code: SSW4
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Moderate

9 Days / 10 Nights (SSW4)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Additional information

This itinerary includes the Tomintoul spur, which runs from Ballindalloch to Tomintoul – the highest village in the Scottish Highlands. A transfer back to Ballindalloch is included in the package.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Premium: £50 per night
  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Buckie for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Buckie to Fochabers 10 miles / 16 km
2
Day 2 Fochabers to Craigellachie 13 miles / 21 km
3
Day 3 Craigellachie to Ballindalloch 12 miles / 19 km
4
Day 4 Ballindalloch to Tomintoul 15 miles / 24 km
5
Day 5 Ballindalloch to Grantown-on-Spey 15 miles / 24 km
6
Day 6 Grantown-on-Spey to Boat-of-Garten 11 miles / 18 km
7
Day 7 Boat-of-Garten to Aviemore 6 miles / 10 km
8
Day 8 Aviemore to Kincraig (overnight in Newtonmore) 6.5 miles / 10.5 km
9
Day 9 Kincraig to Newtonmore 13 miles / 21 km
Depart Onward travel from Newtonmore

Prices

Premium
Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels
From £1480 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1160 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Speyside Way Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to Buckie
By Air

Nearest Airports: Inverness Airport and Aberdeen Airport. 

Nearest Major Airports: Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow International Airport.

All airports run regular shuttle bus services to the city centres. From Glasgow and Edinburgh, you can then connect with train and bus services to Inverness and Aberdeen, from where you can continue your journey to Buckie by public transportation.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Elgin Station or Keith Station.

Scotrail operates train services from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Aberdeen (journey time approximately 2 hours 40 min) and from Edinburgh and Glasgow to  Inverness (journey time approximately 3 hours 30 min).

If you are travelling from London, trains depart from London Kings Cross to Aberdeen (journey time 7 hours) and Inverness (journey time 9 hours).

From Inverness, there are train services to Elgin (journey time 40 min). From Aberdeen, there are train services to Keith (journey time 1 hour) or Elgin (journey time 1 hour 25 min). From Elgin or Keith, you can connect with Stagecoach bus services to Buckie (journey time approximately 50 min).

By Car

If you plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park at your accommodation in Buckie for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Departing Aviemore
By Air

Nearest Airports: Inverness Airport and Aberdeen Airport. 

Nearest Major Airports: Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow International Airport.

Aviemore is located on the main Highland railway line between Inverness (journey time 35 min) and Edinburgh (journey time 3 hours), from where you can connect with a train to Glasgow (journey time 50 min). To return to Aberdeen Airport change trains in Perth (journey time 3 – 4 hours). The journey from Aviemore to London Kings Cross takes approximately 9 hours.

All airports run regular shuttle bus services to the city centres.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Aviemore Station.

Aviemore is located on the main Highland railway line between Inverness (journey time 35 min) and Edinburgh (journey time 3 hours), from where you can connect with a train to Glasgow (journey time 50 min). 

The journey from Aviemore to London Kings Cross takes approximately 9 hours.

There are also regular Citylink bus services from Aviemore to Inverness (journey time 45 min), Glasgow (journey time 3 hours) or Edinburgh (journey time 3 hours).

As the train and bus services can be very busy, we recommend booking your tickets in advance.

By Car

If you plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park in Aviemore for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Departing Newtonmore
By Air

Nearest Airports: Inverness Airport and Aberdeen Airport.

Nearest Major Airports: Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow International Airport.

Newtonmore is located on the main Highland railway line from Inverness (journey time 1 hour) to Edinburgh (journey time 3 hours), from where you can connect with Glasgow (journey time 1 hour). To return to Aberdeen Airport change trains in Perth (journey time 3 – 4 hours).

All airports run regular shuttle bus services to the city centres.

By Rail

Nearest Railway Station: Newtonmore Station.

Newtonmore is located on the main Highland railway line from Inverness (journey time 1 hour) to Edinburgh (journey time 3 hours), from where you can connect with Glasgow (journey time 1 hour).

The journey from Newtonmore to London Kings Cross takes approximately 8 hours.

By Road

If you plan to travel by car, it’s usually possible to park it at your accommodation for the duration of your holiday. Please enquire when your booking is confirmed.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the Speyside Way.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Dufftown
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  • Follow the four mile ‘Dufftown Spur’ and enjoy beautiful scenery
  • Visit the legendary Glenfiddich Distillery – the world’s favourite single Malt Whisky
  • Tour the very popular Balvenie Distillery
  • Explore the ruins of Balvenie Castle
Ballindalloch
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  • Visit Ballindalloch Castle the perfect picture of a Highland Castle
  • Play a round of golf at Ballindalloch Castle Golf Course
  • Tour Cragganmore Distillery and enjoy a dram of local spirit
Grantown-on-Spey
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  • Spend a day relaxing in this elegant Georgian town on the banks of the River Spey
  • Try your hand at fly-fishing
  • Explore the ancient woods of Anagach
Aviemore
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  • Go mountain-biking in Glenmore & Rothiemurchus Forests
  • Enjoy a variety of watersports on Loch Morlich
  • Take the CairnGorm Funicular railway, the country’s highest and fastest mountain railway and enjoy spectacular panoramic views
  • Join a guided hill walk to meet the Cairngorm Reindeers – Britain’s only free-ranging herd

Make an enquiry

Speyside Way

Need something more tailored?
Contact us via email:
enquiries@absoluteescapes.com

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