Introduction

This is an easy circuit walk just off the Ski Road in Aviemore that is great for clearing the cobwebs on a Sunday morning or one for a leisurely stroll anytime around Rothiemurchus Estate. The day we did it, no-one was really up for anything too strenous....more laziness than anything else, but we did make it round this walk and felt a little more refreshed because of it.

Route

• From the roadside, walk up the broad dirt track with the caravan/campsite on your left hand side. About half the route is along a broad track which is used by Rothiemurchus vehicles for access to the estate. The track that brings you back is narrowerer and only accessible by foot or mountain bike.
• A short distance along the track there is a gate and a sign for the footpath - continue through the gate remembering to shut the gate after yer'sel. Continue along the path through the conifer forest.
• About half a mile past the gate there is a fork in the track. The left fork heads for Lairig Ghru and the right for Glen Einich. You can go either way but, for this walk, head right.
• Continue along the path through woodlands and open moorland for about 1 1/2 miles. You will pass through several more gates. You will also pass a small junction/path off to the left further down the track - don't take this, head straight on until you reach the cross-roads of broader tracks.
• At the cross roads there are several options - for this route take the left path and head east along to Lochan Deo a short distance away. Turning right will take you to Loch an Eilein (1 mile) and straight on will take you to Loch Einich. It's clearly sign posted.
• Head past Loch Deo or stop to admire it....on the day we walked this route, the Loch was totally still and the reflections of the hills and forest were fantastic. Head along the broad path for about 1/2 a mile until a junction with a small path to Columbridge turns to the left and slight back on yourself. For a slight detour to the River Durie before you head back, carry a little further along the original path to the Cairngorm Club Bridge and the footpath to the Lairg Ghru. Worth a look, but the bridge is not one that could ever be classed as attractive. Double back to the junction.
• Back at the junction to Columbridge, basically head back along the path through the forest and you will eventually rejoin the broader path that you came along at the start of the walk. From there just head back to the car.