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The Seven Bridges walk at Ballater
A walk · Ballater

Ballater – The Seven Bridges Walk over the Dee

About 5.6 miles on foot.

Station SquareStartPolhollick BridgeWhere you turn

Ballater's Seven Bridges Walk is the longest of the national park's waymarked village walks, a loop out of the square that crosses old and new bridges over the Dee, with woodland and mountain views on the way.

Pannanich Woods, across the river, makes a shorter wooded circuit. Both finish back at the Old Royal Station for lunch. It's a fine morning for steady walkers, and dogs on leads.

Time
About three and a quarter hours: the national park's waymarked Seven Bridges Walk, a 9 km loop from Station Square. A walk. Pannanich Woods, the short one, is 3.2 km and about an hour and a quarter.
The path
Waymarked; mostly earth and surfaced paths, with some narrow, rough and rocky sections, steps and bridges, a short stretch of road and road crossings.
Where to start
The council's free car parks on Station Square (front and rear) and Church Square in Ballater, with a voluntary charge by RingGo or PayByPhone.
Set off
In daylight, by about 10am to be back for lunch.
When to go
All year in daylight. The riverside loop near Polhollick is closed after flooding: follow the high route, and check the national park's page first. The Rothesay Rooms shuts on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Dogs
In Pannanich Woods keep dogs on a lead or close at heel and on the path from April to mid-August, for the capercaillie.
Children
Children who can walk 9 km; steps and rough stretches rule out pushchairs. Pannanich Woods is the shorter walk.
Toilets
Public toilets on the square: 8am to 6pm from October to March, 8am to 8pm from April to September.
Before you set out
The riverside loop between the Bridge of Gairn and the junction near Polhollick Bridge is closed after flooding washed part of it away (the national park's notice, read 7 October 2026): follow the waymarked high route beside the A93, and check the park's Seven Bridges page before you set off.

The walk

The walk starts on Station Square in the middle of Ballater, where the national park's seven waymarked village walks are signposted. Park in the council's free car parks on Station Square or Church Square, where a voluntary charge is asked by RingGo or PayByPhone, and there are public toilets on the square. The Seven Bridges Walk is a waymarked loop over old and new bridges on the Dee, through woodland and with mountain views: 9 km, and the national park says to allow three and a quarter hours.

The path is mostly earth and surfaced, with some narrow, rough and rocky stretches, steps and bridges, a short piece of road and some road crossings. The national park's notice, read on 7 October 2026, says the riverside loop between the Bridge of Gairn and the junction near Polhollick Bridge is closed, as flooding washed part of it away. Follow the waymarked high route beside the A93 instead, and check the park's Seven Bridges page before you set off.

For a shorter walk, the Pannanich Woods circular across the Dee is 3.2 km and about an hour and a quarter, mostly wide forest track and pavement, past the site of an old Canadian loggers' camp. In Pannanich Woods keep dogs on a lead or close at heel and on the path from April to mid-August, for the capercaillie.

If it rains

Out in the weather most of the way, with woodland stretches; on a wet day take the Pannanich Woods circular, mostly forest track under the trees, and come back to the station for lunch.

Afterwards

  1. The Rothesay Rooms

    The Rothesay Rooms

    Lunch

    Lunch is back on Station Square at the Rothesay Rooms, in the Old Royal Station. It opens Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, with mains from noon to 3.30pm and a children's menu, and it shuts on Mondays and Tuesdays. Book on 01339 753816 for a weekend lunch. If it's full, the Ghillies Bar at the Balmoral Arms in the village serves lunch from noon to 3pm, Wednesday to Sunday, and has a dining area for dogs. On a Monday or Tuesday, take a piece, a packed lunch, for the walk.

Before you go

  1. 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.

  2. Book the Rothesay Rooms

    Book a table at the Rothesay Rooms on 01339 753816 for a weekend lunch; it opens Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

Where to eat

Find out more

For further reading, before you go.