Speyside Way


The Speyside Way is a long-distance path that follows the River Spey through the scenery of Banffshire, Morayshire and Inverness-shire in Scotland. The route begins in Aviemore and ends at Buckpool harbour in Buckie, some away. Some choose to walk the route from Buckie to Aviemore. There is a spur leading off the main route to Tomintoul bringing the total distance up to. In addition, there is a Dufftown loop option, and other less well-known routes can be worked in, all affecting the total distance walked. Sections of the route are open to cycling.
The Way is clearly waymarked with a symbol showing a thistle in a hexagon. The route generally follows the valley of the River Spey, passing some of the distilleries that produce Speyside single malts. The final from Spey Bay to Buckie follow the coastline.
The route was established in 1981, and is managed by three authorities: Highland Council, Moray Council and the Cairngorms National Park Authority. It is listed as one of Scotland's Great Trails by Scottish Natural Heritage, and links directly to two further Great Trails: the Moray Coast Trail and the Dava Way. About 53,000 people use the path every year, of whom about 3,000 complete the entire route.

Extension to Newtonmore

An extension of the route from Aviemore to Newtonmore follows most of the route of the former Strathspey Railway, lengthening the total route by, roughly following the route of the River Spey and utilising part of the Sustrans cycle route. The first part of the extension, to Kincraig, was opened in 2015, and the Cairngorms National Park Authority are continuing work to complete the extension to Newtonmore.
The extension was approved in principle by Scottish Ministers in May 2009 and agreement was reached with all but one landowner - the owner of the Kinrara Estate. The Cairngorms National Park Authority resolved in May 2010 to use the Land Reform Act 2003 to apply for the route to be implemented against landowner's wishes. In 2012, Scotland's first Path Order was granted, forcing the owner of the Kinrara Estate to allow the path to cross his land. In July 2017 the estate erected locked gates, blocking members of the public who have a right to roam, but the issue was resolved by the following month.

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