Glen Tanar

5 miles (8.5 km)

Enjoy peaceful woodland and riverside trails along the Water of Tanar on this lovely Cairngorms walk. The circular walk runs for 5 miles along good waymarked paths with rushing water, little bridges, Caledonian Scots pinewood and lots of wildlife to see. It's a pretty easy waymarked walk on fairly flat paths, so nothing very challenging on the way. Look out for red squirrels, frogs, cross-bills and Capercaillie as you make your way through the glen.
You can start the walk from the Glen Tanar estate visitor centre car park, next to the Bridge of Tanar. The route then follows the footpaths south along the river, passing little bridges, a boat house, weirs and the attractive woodland. After about 2.5 miles you can cross over to the other side of the water and follow different paths back to the visitor centre.
To continue your walking in the area, head to Ballater and try the popular 7 Bridges Walk.
Also nearby is the lovely circuit of Loch Muick and the challenging climb to Lochnagar.

Postcode

AB34 5EU - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Glen Tanar Ordnance Survey Map - view and print off detailed OS map

Glen Tanar Open Street Map - view and print off detailed map

Glen Tanar OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Glen Tanar Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

In Ballater there are several nice pubs and cafes where you can go for some post walk refreshments. One noteworthy establishment is the excellent Clachan Grill. This pub is located right next to the River Dee and includes a nice outdoor seating area with great views of the surrounding pine trees. The food is excellent and the pub is also dog friendly in the bar area. You can find it at 5 Bridge St with a postcode of AB35 5QP for your sat navs.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Head a few miles to the north west and you could enjoy the circular trail around Loch Kinord. The worthy site includes a waymarked trail taking you through the woodland and along the loch which is situated in the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve.
The picturesque Loch of Aboyne can be found a few miles to the north east. Near here there's a bit of a hidden gem at the Dess Waterfall. The peaceful spot includes some nice woodland walks along the Dess Burn with picturesque falls to admire as well.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Cairngorms Walks page.