Carrbridge – The Coffin Bridge and the Pinewood
About 3.3 miles on foot.
Carrbridge's old packhorse bridge has stood over the River Dulnain since 1717, a single thin arch of stone, and it's the picture most people come to the village for.
This walk gives it some company: an easy circuit through the Scots pines of Carr Plantation, past the site of the old parish poorhouse and back to the village. It's flat and sheltered, a gentle couple of hours on forest tracks.
- Time
- About two and a quarter hours: a few minutes at the bridge, then the National Park's Carr Plantation Trail, a 4.8 km circuit of about two hours. An easy walk.
- The path
- Pavement to the bridge; then mostly flat forest tracks and paths, narrow and rough in places, with one short road section.
- Where to start
- The village car park in the middle of Carrbridge; free, with free public toilets beside it.
- Set off
- From November to January, set off by 1pm to be back in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. From November to January set off by 1pm.
- Dogs
- On a short lead in the woods from April to the end of August, for the capercaillie; under close control the rest of the year, and on a lead by the road.
- Children
- Flat and sheltered; hold small hands by the river and the road.
- Before you set out
- The old arch itself is not for crossing; the river runs fast below.
The walk
Park in the village car park in the middle of Carrbridge, which is free, with free public toilets beside it. The old bridge is a few minutes' walk away on the River Dulnain, beside the road bridge. It was built in 1717 for people and packhorses, and funeral parties crossed it on the way to Duthil churchyard, which is how it came to be called the coffin bridge. Look at it from the road bridge or the riverbank: the old arch is not for crossing, and the river runs fast below.
Then comes the walk. The Cairngorms National Park gives its Carr Plantation Trail as a 4.8 km circuit, about two hours, on mostly flat forest tracks and paths that can be narrow and rough in places, with one short stretch on a road. It runs through tall Scots pines past the site of the poorhouse, built about 1864 for the poor of the parish, and loops back to the village. Wear boots after rain.
Capercaillie live in the woods round Carrbridge, and the National Park asks for dogs on a short lead in capercaillie woods from April to the end of August. Keep them under close control the rest of the year.
If it rains
Under the pines most of the way and flat throughout, so it is a fair walk on a damp day. The tracks hold water after rain: wear boots.
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 Park Cottage in Kincraig, 10 miles away. Sleeps 6; next free Fri 23 Oct to Sun 25 Oct.
For further reading, before you go.