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The Lochside Loop walk at Kincraig on Loch Insh
A walk · Kincraig

Loch Insh – The Lochside Loop from Kincraig

About 1.6 miles on foot.

The Lochside Loop

Kincraig sits at the north end of Loch Insh.

The village's own short walk is an hour by the water, and from late autumn there are whooper swans to look for.

Time
About an hour: a loop of about a mile and a half (2.5 km) from Kincraig village, through woodland and along the shore of Loch Insh.
The path
A mix of pavement and grassy trail over rough, uneven ground, with some short moderate slopes.
Where to start
Start in Kincraig village, where the National Park's map of the village paths marks the car park.
When to go
All year in daylight. From mid October to March the shore is wet underfoot and mist can sit on the water early and late, so go in the middle of the day.
Dogs
Under close control by the water, where birds feed and rest.
Children
Short and low. Keep small children close at the water's edge.
Toilets
None on the loop.
Before you set out
On 9 October 2026 the National Park listed no closure at Kincraig. Not every path here is waymarked on the ground.

The walk

The Lochside Loop is Kincraig's own short walk: about a mile and a half through broadleaved woodland and along the shore of Loch Insh. The loch is broad and quiet, with reeds in the shallows and wooded hills behind the far bank. Give yourself time to stand and look.

Whooper swans fly in from Iceland and Greenland to spend the cold months here, and Loch Insh is one of their main wintering places. Bring binoculars from late autumn on. The village used to be called Boat of Insh, after the ferry that crossed the Spey here.

Its small church is said to stand on one of the oldest places of worship in Scotland, and the story goes that St Adamnan rang a bell there to call the wild swans. Underfoot it's a mix of pavement and rough, uneven grassy trail with a few short slopes. Not every path in Kincraig is waymarked, so carry the National Park's map of the village paths.

If it rains

Short and low, with woodland for part of it: fine in a shower, though the grassy trail is rough and slippery when wet.

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

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

    Park CottageKincraigPark CottageSleeps 6The Hayloft5 miles awayThe HayloftSleeps 2Killiehuntly Farmhouse5 miles awayKilliehuntly FarmhouseA place to stayCairngorms Church Hill House6 miles awayCairngorms Church Hill HouseSleeps 4
Find out more

For further reading, before you go.

Photograph by Stefan Schmid via Google