Cambus o' May – A White Bridge and a Cone in Ballater
A few hours.
The route
The white suspension bridge at Cambus o' May hangs across the Dee a few miles east of Ballater.
Children love the flat walk out to it along the old railway line, the turnstiles at either end and the river below. Afterwards, it's 6 minutes' drive into Ballater for an ice cream at Shorty's on Bridge Street.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Darroch Learg in Ballater.
The day
Cambus o' May
A flat walk through the pines to a white bridge over the river, and into Ballater for a cone.
About two and a half hoursAbout 2.5 miles on foot
Cambus o’ May Suspension Bridge
An attraction
Forestry and Land Scotland's car park at Cambus o' May is on the north side of the A93: £1 for an hour or £2 for up to three hours, by card or RingGo. The turn in is steep and uneven, and there are no toilets; the nearest public ones are in Ballater. Follow the Deeside Way east along the old railway line, wide, level and firm, to the white suspension bridge over the Dee: about 25 minutes' walk. It was given in 1905 by a Glen Girnock man who made his fortune brewing in London, and repaired after the floods of 2015. Turnstiles at each end mean pushchairs stay on the near bank. There's a sandy bank by the water for a breather, but the river runs deep and cold, so keep small ones close, and dogs at heel: birds nest on the ground here. Walk back the same way.
About 5 min by car
Shorty's
Ice cream
In Ballater, Shorty's ice-cream parlour on Bridge Street has a long counter of flavours, hot doughnuts, brownies and an Eton mess made with tablet, a crumbly Scottish fudge. Plenty of it is gluten free. In autumn and winter it opens Thursday to Sunday, from noon to 4pm, and the hours change with the seasons, so ring 01339 468635 if you're unsure. If it's shut, the Bridge House Café a few doors along has home bakes, Thursday to Monday until 4.30pm.
If it rains
The walk is all outdoors with no shelter: in heavy rain, skip it and go straight to Shorty's, or to the Bridge House Café on Bridge Street.
Photograph by Cath Haynes via Google