The Seven Bridges Walk, Ballater
| Distance | Approximate Time | Height Gain | OS Map |
| 9 kms | 03:00 (hrs:mins) | 60 metres | Explorer 388 - Lochnagar, Glen Muick & Glen Clova |
Description
Leave Ballater by crossing the River Dee by the Royal Bridge on the south east of the town. Cross the South Deeside Road and take the path branching to the right. It climbs steeply to a forest track. Turn right and follow the track to the Sir Allan Russell Mackenzie memorial. Just a few yards before you reach the memorial is your path to the left. It stops at a small scenic loch.
Retrace your steps for about 20 yards from the edge of the loch, then turn left on a grassy track leading to the tarred drive of the House of Glenmuick. This grassy track has bridge number two - a wooden bridge with no sides crossing a small burn. On reaching the House of
Glenmuick tarred road turn right and then almost immediately left to go down to the South Deeside Road, the B976 to continue to the left along it.
The third bridge is again insignificant, over the Brackley Burn and then to the large memorial to commemorate Queen Victoria's salute to some of her troops in 1899 which is found alongside bridge four, Bridge of Muick.
A straight length of road beckons. About half a mile along there is a house on the right, Woodstock. Turn right just beyond it to go straight through the Dalliefour Woods to cross the River Dee again at the Polhollick Bridge, an attractive white suspension bridge.
The path continues up to the A93, the North Deeside Road. Turn right, go about 50 yards and cross carefully to a gate opposite. Through the gate there is a narrow path to the right. This continues by passing through several small gates, crossing the A939 Tomintoul road, then some more fields till it drops down to the main road in order to cross the Bridge of Gairn, bridge number six for those who are still counting.
Cross the bridge and bear right across a steep driveway. A green way-marker shows the route back to Ballater i.e. down on to a level path which reaches the town at Old Line Road. This part of the walk is along a section of railway which never had trains on it; Queen Victoria did not give permission for the line to come any closer to Balmoral. A small gorge is crossed at 'Postie's Leap' by the small, seventh bridge on your route.
At the end of Old Line Road a left turn takes you to Braemar Road and hence back to the centre of Ballater; incidentally crossing yet another former bridge, this time a railway one, at the point where Braemar Road enters the Station Square.
Access Info
The starting point for this walk is in Station Square, Ballater where parking can be found. Ballater can be accessed from the A93 between Braemar and Aboyne.
