Glenmore Forest Park - Forestry Commission Scotland

© Crown Copyright 2015
Overlooking Uath Lochans from Farleitter Crag
Web: www.forestry.gov.uk/glenmoreforestpark
Public enquiry line: 0845 3673787
Explore Scotland’s Forest Parks:
1. Glenmore
4. Argyll
2. Tay 5. Tweed Valley
3. Queen Elizabeth
6. Galloway
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Tel: 0300 067 5046
E-mail: [email protected]
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Inshriach Trails
Just a few miles south of Glenmore, Inshriach feels
completely different. The forest here is quieter and
more intimate. There are beautiful trails along the
Feshie river, around Uath lochans or up to the wide
views from Farleitter Crag.
Start point 6 Feshiebridge
Cairngorms National Park
Tel: 01479 861220
Email: invernessross&[email protected]
© Crown copyright and database right [2013]. All rights reserved.
Ordnance Survey Licence number [100021242].
Designed by Design & Interpretive Services, Forestry Commission Scotland - D&IS/15K/JTCP/Nov 2015/Edition 4.
Text written by James Carter. Photography by Colin Leslie, James Carter and Forestry Commission Picture Library.
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Contact Forestry Commission Scotland,
Glenmore Visitor Centre, Glenmore,
By Aviemore, Inverness-shire PH22 1QU
Frank Bruce Sculpture Trail
Start point 5 Uath Lochans
A winding path through tall trees and a tranquil
walled garden, visiting the remarkable
sculptures of Frank Bruce.
1 mile /
A firm smooth path;
1.6 kms
generally flat with some
Allow
short gentle gradients.
¾ hr
The car park is tucked away up a narrow road.
Turn off the B970 at Insh House, half a mile from
the Kincraig junction. The car park is signposted
off to the right, just after a mile.
Uath Lochans Trail
River Feshie Trail
A magical mix of woodland and sparkling lochans.
Look out for frogs beside the paths, and for
dragonflies darting over the wetlands.
A narrow natural path along the river. There are
lots of places to stop and watch the water.
Mostly gentle gradients
1 ½ miles /
with some short
2.4 kms
moderately steep
Allow
sections. A generally
1 hr
firm gravel path,
often narrow, with sections of boardwalk.
Paths can be muddy and slippery after rain.
A mostly narrow grassy
1¼ miles /
trail with rough and
2 kms
uneven rocky sections.
Allow
Can be wet and muddy
1 hr
after rain. Contains
short fairly steep sections. Narrow bridges.
Farleitter Crag Trail
Feshie Woodland Trail
Tall trees, craggy rock outcrops and superb views
of the Spey valley and the Glen Feshie hills.
A peaceful trail into a classic Cairngorm landscape
of tumbling burns, heather and Scots pines.
2 ½ miles /
A hilly route, with many
4 kms
long steep slopes.
Allow
The surface is generally
1 ½ hrs
firm and smooth,
with occasional uneven
and loose sections. Can be wet and muddy
after rain in places.
A moderately steep
1¾ miles /
route, with short steeper
3 kms
sections. Earthy paths
Allow
with some narrow,
1¼ hrs
rough sections, including
stone steps and roots. Can be wet after rain.
Includes two public road crossings.
Frank Bruce was a selftaught sculptor whose
remarkable works have
been installed in a small
area near the Feshie river
trail. The carvings fill the
woodland with spirits,
stories, and Frank’s
thought-provoking
responses to what it
means to be human.
Essential information
Take care on the hills
Osprey image: Peter Cairns/2020vision
Fàilte gu Pàirc Choille a’ Ghlinne Mhòir
Please remember that the weather on the
hills can change very quickly. Even in summer,
conditions on the tops of hills are often much colder
and windier than at low levels, despite clear skies.
Here are some pointers for a safe and enjoyable trip:
• Be properly equipped
• Plan your route carefully and stick to it
• Tell someone where you are going and when you
expect to return
• Take adequate warm and waterproof clothing
Where the forest meets the
mountain / Far a bheil a’
choille ri oir na beinne
Fancy a picnic on a sandy beach, or finding
an emerald loch under a fairy hill? How about
windsurfing watched by golden eagles, or wandering
through forest hundreds of years old? You can do all
this in Glenmore – and still have plenty to explore.
Dè mu dheidhinn picnic air tràigh ghainmich, no
bhith lorg smàrag fo chnoc sìthe? A’ seòladh-clàir
fo shùilean iolairean-mara, no a’ siubhal tro choille
ceudan bliadhna a dh’aois? Is urrainn dhut seo a
dhèanamh anns a’ Ghleann Mhòir – agus fhathast
tuilleadh ri fhaicinn.
Glenmore beach
• Wear suitable footwear
• Take sufficient food and drink
• Carry a map/compass - and know how to use them!
• Turn back if it gets too hard for you
• In emergencies call 999 and ask for the police.
When connected provide:
a) location of the incident
b) number of people in the party
c) any injuries (if there are, ask the police to inform
an ambulance)
An Lochan Uaine, Ryvoan
The forest park combines the features that make the
Cairngorms National Park unique. Rounded granite
mountains loom in the background, sometimes with an
evening glow that fits their Gaelic name perfectly (Am
Monadh Ruadh – the red hills). Forest washes against
them like a tide, the trees rising and falling with changes in
climate – and with how many deer or sheep nibble them.
Much of the forest park is a National Nature Reserve,
home to, amongst others, red squirrels,
crested tits and wood ants. The reserve is
managed to help protect this rich habitat,
and to welcome visitors who want to enjoy it.
This leaflet will help you explore
Glenmore’s trails and those just
down the road at Inshriach forest.
For more information, ask at the
Glenmore Visitor Centre, where
you’ll find a friendly welcome and a great café!
& Inshriach Forest
Ancient forest,
high mountain,
golden shore
Frank Bruce Sculpture Trail
Overview map showing Glenmore
Forest Park and Inshriach Forest
Welcome to Glenmore Forest Park
Glenmore
Forest
Park
Key start points for forest trails
There are six main starting points to begin your adventure:
Glenmore Forest Park
1
2
3
4
Glenmore Visitor Centre
The Beach car park
Hayfield car park
Allt Mor car park
Inshriach Forest
5 Uath Lochans
6 Feshiebridge
Glenmore Visitor
Centre; start here if this
is your first visit to Glenmore
Glenmore Campsite
There is so much to do in
Glenmore, it’s worth staying a
night or two. At the Glenmore
camp site you can sleep beneath
the trees – and greet the dawn
with the forest’s birds if you like!
The camp site is open all year.
For details contact 0845 130 8224.
www.campingintheforest.co.uk
Take notice of the signs
These forests are places to work as well
as enjoy. Please watch out for vehicles
and follow any signs you see to ensure
you have a safe visit. Thank you.
No unauthorised
persons allowed
beyond this point
Inverness, Ross & Skye
Forest District
Tel 00000 000000
www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland
Key to maps
Spirits of the past
Glenmore Trails
Glenmore was once home
to families who lived in small
farmsteads, taking sheep and
cattle onto the hill in summer.
You can still see the ruins of
a few cottages at Beglan,
north of Loch Morlich. Find out
more about the settlement
at: www.forestry.gov.uk/
forestheritagescotland
Start point 1
Glenmore Visitor Centre
Ryvoan Trail
You can also park at the Allt Mor car park for
access to Ryvoan and An Lochan Uaine
Visit the enchanting An Lochan Uaine (The Green
Lochan) and wind back through the twisted pine and
birch forest above.
Smooth gravel track
3 ½ miles /
with moderate slopes
5.8 kms
up to lochan. Rough,
Allow
narrow gravel and
2 ½ hrs
earth section beyond,
with exposed tree roots. Long steep slopes and long
sets of rough rocky steps.
Start point 3 Hayfield car park
Pine Knoll Trail
Walk beneath the twisted old pine trees and look for
dragonflies and wood ants beneath the canopy.
Firm gravel and earth
1 ¼ miles /
surface throughout.
2.2 kms
Some loose and uneven
Allow
¾ hr
sections, and occasional
muddy patches after rain.
Generally flat with a few moderate slopes and one
short flight of steps.
Start point 4 Allt Mor car park
You can also park here for access to the Ryvoan Pass.
Lodge Trail
Explore the atmospheric pine woods around
Glenmore’s former shooting lodge.
Mostly wide, uneven
2 ½ miles /
gravel surface with
3.9 kms
some potentially muddy
Allow
1 ½ hrs
patches. Includes
a couple of short
fairly steep slopes and some low branches.
Allt Mor Trail
Follow the tumbling Allt Mor out of the forest and onto
the mountain side for breathtaking panoramic views
over Glenmore and Strath Spey.
Firm gravel surface,
3 ½ miles /
with some narrow,
5.8 kms
uneven and rocky
Allow
sections. Long steep
2 ½ hrs
slope for half a mile.
Includes some narrow openings, long sections of
boardwalks, and a road crossing.
456
g Wa
y
Torr Dearg
Caochan
Ruadh
Start point 2 Beach car park
an
Beach Trail
tC
oir
eE
ag
Several trails are suitable for buggies and
wheelchairs. You can borrow a mobility scooter free
of charge at the visitor centre: ask the staff for details
of this scheme, run by the Badenoch and Strathspey
Transport Group, contact: 01479 810 004.
Old L
oggin
Caorach
Meander through the beautiful pine, birch and alder
woods by the Allt Mor burn and Loch Morlich’s
golden sands.
All
The visitor centre is an ideal base, with toilets and
a café, to start and end your trip. Trail routes vary
from wide, easy tracks by the loch to a demanding
climb for one of the best views of Speyside.
Allt Clais nan
1½ miles /
Largely wide, smooth
2.4 kms
gravel and tarmac
Allow
surface, with slightly
1 hr
uneven and loose
sections. Some short
fairly steep slopes. Includes two road crossings.
Loch Morlich Trail
A charming circuit round the water, with fine views of
the mountains above and a good chance of seeing
goldeneye, red-throated divers and even otters.
Mostly wide, smooth
3½ miles /
5.8 kms
and flat gravel surface.
Allow
Some uneven gravel
2 hrs
and earth sections,
with potentially muddy
areas. Short moderate slopes and one steep ramp.
Includes two road crossings.
If you want to go further afield,
try one of these routes.
Meall a’ Bhuachaille circular via
Ryvoan bothy
(say Meal a Voo-cal - The Herd’s Hill)
5 miles / 8 kms
If you feel like a workout, and a chance to see one
of the best views of the Cairngorms, then this one’s
for you! The path climbs almost constantly from
the car park to the summit, following the footsteps
of herdsmen who used to mind their flocks here in
the summer and who gave the hill its name. This is
a steep, rocky mountain path. The weather can
change very quickly, even in summer. You should
have proper hill-walking equipment for this trip.
Chalamain Gap
2 miles / 3.5 kms each way
A mountain path that takes you to the mouth
of the Lairig Ghru, a great cleft in the Cairngorms
plateau that leads to some of the wildest country in
Scotland. This is a serious hill walking trip, and you’ll
need proper equipment and good navigation skills.
Start from the Sugarbowl car park.
The Old Logging Way
6 ½ miles / 10.5 kms each way
A great link between Glenmore and Aviemore,
this well-surfaced track with gentle gradients is ideal
for cyclists. It follows the route taken by thousands
of trees that were felled in the glen. In days gone
by they were floated down the River Spey on their
way to shipyards to be made into masts, hulls and
decking for ships. This trail is not waymarked,
however it is signposted and is very easy to follow.
Cycling in Glenmore
You are welcome to cycle
anywhere within the forest park,
but please note that the Meall a’
Bhuachaille Trail, Allt Mor Trail and
upper section of the Ryvoan Trail
are not advised for bikes. All forest
roads are easy cycling.
Glenmore - Big glen
Cairn Gorm - Blue mountain
Lochan Uaine - Green lochan
Creagan Dubh - Small, black crag
Airgiod-meall - Silver hill
Coire Beag-ghleann - Corrie of the small glen