Speyside Way
Encyclopedia
The Speyside Way is a Long Distance Route that follows the River Spey
through some of Banffshire
, Morayshire and Inverness-shire
's most beautiful scenery. It is one of four Long Distance Routes in Scotland
. It begins in Aviemore
and ends at Buckpool
harbour in Buckie
, some 65 miles away. There is a spur leading off the main route to Tomintoul
bringing the total distance up to 80 miles (130 kilometres).
The Way is clearly marked 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 five miles from Spey Bay
to Buckie
follow the coastline.
An extension of the route from Aviemore
to Newtonmore
is currently being progressed. This extension would lengthen the total route by 34.8km, roughly following the route of the River Spey
and utilising part of the Sustrans
cycle route.
A formal proposal has now been submitted and has received approval in principle from Scottish Ministers, but it still looks likely that not all landowners will be in agreement with the designated route. If instructed by the Scottish Ministers, the Cairngorms National Park
Authority can implement the route against landowners' wishes under the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 and the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
. Negotiations are still underway to attempt to avoid this situation.
The path follows most of the route of the former Strathspey Railway
.
River Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
through some of Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
, Morayshire and Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
's most beautiful scenery. It is one of four Long Distance Routes in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It begins in Aviemore
Aviemore
Aviemore is a town and tourist resort, situated within the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands of Scotland. It is in the Badenoch and Strathspey committee area, within the Highland council area. The town is popular for skiing and other winter sports, and for hill-walking in the Cairngorm...
and ends at Buckpool
Buckpool
For the village in Dudley, West Midlands see Buckpool, West MidlandsBuckpool is a village on the coast of Moray, Scotland.-Buckpool Golf Club:...
harbour in Buckie
Buckie
Buckie is a burgh town on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland in Moray. Buckie was the largest town in Banffshire by some thousands of inhabitants before regionalisation in 1975 removed that political division from the map of Scotland...
, some 65 miles away. There is a spur leading off the main route to Tomintoul
Tomintoul
Tomintoul is a village in the Moray council area of Scotland; until 1975 it was located in the county of Banffshire.It is said to be the highest village in the Scottish Highlands, but at is still significantly lower than the highest village in Scotland .The village was laid out on a grid pattern...
bringing the total distance up to 80 miles (130 kilometres).
The Way is clearly marked with a symbol showing a thistle
Thistle
Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles often occur all over the plant – on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves. These are an adaptation that protects the...
in a hexagon. The route generally follows the valley of the River Spey
River Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
, passing some of the distilleries that produce Speyside single malts
Speyside Single Malts
Speyside single malts are single malt Scotch whiskies, distilled in Strathspey, the area around the River Spey in Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey, in northeastern Scotland....
. The final five miles from Spey Bay
Spey Bay
Spey Bay is a small settlement in Moray, Scotland. It is situated at the eastern side of the mouth of the River Spey on the coast of the Moray Firth between the village of Kingston on the western side of the Spey, and the fishing port of Buckie to the east....
to Buckie
Buckie
Buckie is a burgh town on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland in Moray. Buckie was the largest town in Banffshire by some thousands of inhabitants before regionalisation in 1975 removed that political division from the map of Scotland...
follow the coastline.
An extension of the route from Aviemore
Aviemore
Aviemore is a town and tourist resort, situated within the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands of Scotland. It is in the Badenoch and Strathspey committee area, within the Highland council area. The town is popular for skiing and other winter sports, and for hill-walking in the Cairngorm...
to Newtonmore
Newtonmore
Newtonmore is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of about 1000. The village is only a few miles from a location that is claimed to be the exact geographical centre of Scotland...
is currently being progressed. This extension would lengthen the total route by 34.8km, roughly following the route of the River Spey
River Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
and utilising part of the Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
cycle route.
A formal proposal has now been submitted and has received approval in principle from Scottish Ministers, but it still looks likely that not all landowners will be in agreement with the designated route. If instructed by the Scottish Ministers, the Cairngorms National Park
Cairngorms National Park
The Cairngorms National Park is a national park in north east Scotland, established in 2003. It was the second of two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament, after Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, set up in 2002. The park covers the Cairngorms range of mountains, and...
Authority can implement the route against landowners' wishes under the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 and the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
The Land Reform Act 2003 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament. It created a framework for responsible access to land and inland water, formalising the tradition in Scotland of unhindered access to open countryside, provided that care was taken not to cause damage or interfere with activities...
. Negotiations are still underway to attempt to avoid this situation.
The path follows most of the route of the former Strathspey Railway
Strathspey Railway (GNoSR)
Strathspey Railway is an historic railway in Scotland that ran from Boat of Garten to Dufftown.-History:The line was opened on 1 July 1863 between Dufftown and Abernethy . It was extended to meet up with the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway at Boat of Garten on 1 August 1866...
.
External links
- Official site for the Speyside Way
- Speyside Way details and mapping on Walkhighlands