VISITBALLATER
A short loop through woodland takes you past Sir Allan Russell Mackenzie’s memorial built in 1906 and continues past Ballater’s old curling and skating ponds.
Mostly wide firm stone path and forest track with one short section of narrow, rough, earth path.
1.5 miles/2.4 km (Allow 1 hour). Waymarking colour: OCRE
Route
Starting in Station Square, walk south-east along Bridge Street for 300m until a junction where the A93 main road turns sharp left for Aberdeen. There is a fingerpost in the centre of the grassy traffic island.
Do not turn left, but continue to walk straight ahead for a further 240m, crossing the Royal Bridge over the River Dee and reaching the junction with the South Deeside Road (B976).
Cross the B976 South Deeside Road to enter the wooded area directly opposite and take the path sloping up left (north-east) following a fingerpost sign to Cambus o’ May.
Continue on this path for 90m, and at a fingerpost take a sharp right turn (signposted ‘Bridge of Muick’). Continue along this path, now heading south, for 250m until the path takes a sharp bend to the left and you arrive at the Mackenzie Memorial.
After visiting the memorial, continue on the path (south-east) for 100m to reach a path junction and waymarking post. Continue straight ahead up a much more uneven and muddy path which passes a former curling pond. (A fallen tree can be bypassed on the right.)
After 150m the path climbs up to a junction with a forestry track and a waymarking post. Turn left (north) and follow the track downhill for 450m until a further waymarking post indicates a sharp left turn.
Follow the track down for 160 metres until it comes to the fingerpost at 4. above.
Retrace the route given at 3, 2, and 1, above, to return to Station Square.