Cambus o' May – The Old Railway to a White Bridge on the Dee
About 7.8 miles on foot.
East of Ballater the old Deeside railway is now a broad, level path beside the Dee, and four miles along it a white suspension footbridge crosses the river at Cambus o' May.
The national park's circular walk goes out along the old line, crosses the bridge and comes back through the woods on the south bank. It's 12.5 km in all, an easy half and a rougher half.
- Time
- About four and a half hours: 12.5 km round, by the national park.
- The path
- The Deeside Way half is wide, level and firm. The bridge has turnstiles and steps, and the return through the woods is narrow and rough in places.
- Where to start
- The council's Station Square car parks in Ballater, front and rear: free, with a voluntary charge by RingGo or PayByPhone.
- Set off
- From November to January, set off by 10.30am to be back in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. From November to January, set off by 10.30am.
- Dogs
- In Pannanich Woods, on a lead or close at heel and on the path from April to mid August, for the capercaillie.
- Children
- Level on the way out but long, at 12.5 km in all.
- Toilets
- Public toilets on Station Square in Ballater.
- Before you set out
- Out on the Deeside Way, wide, level and firm; back through woodland on the south bank, narrow and rough in places. The bridge has turnstiles at each end and steps on the south bank.
The walk
Park on Station Square in the middle of Ballater, where the council's two car parks are free, with a voluntary charge you can pay by RingGo or PayByPhone. There are public toilets on the square. The national park's village walks are waymarked and signposted from here, and the park gives this one as 12.5 km, allowing four and a half hours. It's walked clockwise.
The first half follows the Deeside Way along the old railway line, which is easy going: wide, level and firm, with the river and the hills for company. The bridge is four miles east of the village. It's a listed footbridge that still has its original turnstiles at each end, and there are steps on the south bank, so it's awkward with a pushchair or a bike. The way back is through woodland on the other side of the Dee, and it's harder work: the park grades it moderate, narrow and rough in places, so wear boots.
In Pannanich Woods, on the south bank, keep a dog on a lead or close at heel and on the path from April to mid August, to help the capercaillie that live there. From November to January, set off by 10.30am to be back in daylight. If you only want the bridge, the park says it's a short walk from a small car park just off the A93.
If it rains
The old railway half is firm underfoot, but there's little shelter and the woodland path back is rough and slippery when wet. In heavy rain, walk out along the Deeside Way for as long as you like and come back the same way.
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.
For further reading, before you go.