Stroll through light-dappled forest. Loop a loch. Happen on new mountain views. Walking at Rothiemurchus gives you the opportunity to take everything in and fill your lungs with fresh Highland air. We recommend downloading our explorer map or buying a copy, from the Farm Shop, Loch an Eilein car park or Fishing and Falconry Centre before you set off. As well as containing our recommended routes, It’s full of interesting facts. Once you’re on the trail, our recommended walks are waymarked.
Most of Rothiemurchus is a conservation area, and you can help care for this unique and ancient forest and the wildlife that lives in and around it. Do your bit by sticking to maintained paths, not lighting fires, taking any litter home and keeping dogs at heel or on a short lead.
These trails are popular, so be ready to move aside and say hello if cyclists, runners or horse riders wish to pass.
Download map
What’s it like?
A 7km loop through beaver habitat and past scenic Lochan Mor.
Stroll through the ancient forest and keep your eyes peeled for signs of reintroduced beavers in the wetland areas. A small diversion about halfway around the circuit takes you to the shores of Loch an Eilein.
You can choose to turn back at Lochan Mor and make this a 3.2km (2 mile) walk. This section of the trail is accessible to most.
After your walk, take some time to explore everything else Rothiemurchus has to offer. The Barn cafe is dog friendly and has indoor and outdoor seating, making it the ideal place to refuel. The Farm Shop, right next door, is the place to pick up local and artisan produce for a picnic or dinner-time treat.
Learn moreTo make your visit to Rothiemurchus truly unforgettable, you can pre-book an activity led by experts. Whether you are a nature lover, adrenaline seeker or a cross-generational family, there’s something to suit you. You might choose to fly an eagle at our falconry experience, take a Landrover tour through Rothiemurchus’ history and landscape, try your hand at quad biking or swing through the forest at TreeZone.
By buying a Rothiemurchus Explorer Map or joining our membership scheme, Friends of Rothiemurchus, you’re directly contributing to the future conservation of this much-loved place.
All the paths, car parks and toilets used by visitors to Rothiemurchus are looked after by the Rothiemurchus team. And there is so much we want to do: from improving paths to modernising our farming systems, reducing the carbon footprint of the farm and solidifying the walls of the castle
on Loch an Eilein.
These responsibilities are complex and expensive, and require us to make long-term decisions around conservation. We’re incredibly grateful for any support that helps us care for this unique, ancient forest in a way that future generations will thank us for.
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