Hidden Scotland
Sign in
A walk through the old pines of Glen Tanar
A walk · Aboyne

Glen Tanar – The Old Pines Path by the Water of Tanar

About 5.2 miles on foot.

Glen Tanar

Glen Tanar holds one of the largest stretches of old Caledonian pine forest left in Scotland, and the estate's Old Pines Path takes you right into it.

The waymarked walk stays close to the Water of Tanar under tall Scots pines with heather beneath, on easy paths with only gentle slopes. It's an easy couple of hours for most walkers, and fine for dogs on leads.

Time
About two hours: the Old Pines Path, 8.3 km, waymarked from the visitor centre. An easy walk.
The path
Waymarked; crushed stone and grass, with a few short, gentle slopes. A smooth path with a ramp from the bridge to the visitor centre.
Where to start
The Braeloine car park by the Bridge of Tanar and the visitor centre, at the end of the single-track glen road from Bridge o' Ess on the B976; there's a charge. The glen road is not for motorhomes or caravans.
When to go
All year in daylight. The visitor centre and its toilets open 10am to 5pm every day except Tuesday.
Dogs
On a lead: capercaillie and other birds nest on the ground in spring and summer, and the stags rut in October.
Children
Easy, mostly level paths; 8.3 km is a long way for small legs, and the Chapel of St Lesmo path (1.75 km) is the short one.
Toilets
At the visitor centre, with a toilet for wheelchair users; shut on Tuesdays.
Before you set out
A working estate that stalks deer in season: keep to the waymarked paths and follow any signs on the day. There's no café in the glen.

The walk

The walk starts at the Glen Tanar Visitor Centre at Braeloine, by the Bridge of Tanar, at the end of the single-track glen road from Bridge o' Ess on the B976. There's a charge to park, and the glen road isn't for motorhomes or caravans. The visitor centre, with toilets, opens 10am to 5pm every day except Tuesday. The Old Pines Path is waymarked from the centre, 8.3 km, and the Glen Tanar Charitable Trust says to allow two hours.

It takes you deep into the glen's forest of old Scots pines, never far from the Water of Tanar, and red squirrels live in the pines. The going is crushed stone and grass with a few short, gentle slopes. Keep dogs on a lead: capercaillie and other birds nest on the ground in spring and summer, and the stags rut in October. Glen Tanar is a working estate that stalks deer in season, so keep to the waymarked paths and follow any signs on the day.

There's no café in the glen. The nearest for lunch is the Potarch Café, further down the Dee, open Thursday to Monday until 4pm.

If it rains

Most of the path is under the pines, so it's a fair walk in light rain; the visitor centre is the only roof, shut on Tuesdays.

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

    If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.

    Rowan CottageClose byRowan CottageSleeps 2Butler's LodgeClose byButler's LodgeSleeps 6Garden CottageClose byGarden CottageSleeps 4Joiners CottageClose byJoiners CottageSleeps 4
Find out more

For further reading, before you go.