Heritage Paths ~ Thieves' Road (Nethy Bridge to Glen More)

Cairngorms National Park

Thieves' Road (Nethy Bridge to Glen More) Return to Map

Start location: Forest Lodge (NJ 022 164)

End location: Reindeer House, Glen More (NH 977 097)

Geographical area: Cairngorms National Park

Path type: Drove Road

Path distance: 9.7km

Accessibillity info: Suitable for Bikes, Suitable for horses, Suitable for pedestrians

Forest Lodge lies south of Nethy Bridge, past Dell Lodge. From there, the track to Glen More heads south-west and is signposted. This is a well-made forest track. After only 100m or so, a junction is reached, whereupon a choice of routes is available:
(a) For the original track, go straight on at the junction on a rising track towards the small group of houses at Rynettin (NJ012147). Go through a gate (unlocked at time of survey) on to a wet, muddy, grassy track which then heads downhill following a field boundary, heading almost due east, through another gate (unlocked at time of survey) at NJ013144 and on to another well-made track eventually reaching a junction at NJ016143.
(b) The alternative track heads south-east and slightly downhill from the junction at NJ018159 reaching the track from Rynettin at NJ016143. There are no gates on this newer track.
From here the good track carries on south-westerly again through the forest. When the edge of the forest is reached at NJ007126 the views of the Cairngorm Mountains are more apparent and the track becomes slightly rougher and wetter in places though still wide and easy to follow. Ryvoan Bothy is reached at NJ006115 and the path becomes much more rocky and bouldery as it descends past the junction to the Lairig an Laoigh (NJ003110). The path improves again past An Lochan Uaine (the green lochan) and remains very good all the way to the road end at Glenmore Lodge. A purpose-built cycle and footpath runs alongside the single-track road from here to the Reindeer House at NH978097.

This route is suitable for mountain bikes. The descent from Ryvoan Bothy may need to be treated with care.

This path is suitable for horses. It would probably be preferable to take option (b) at the first junction past Forest Lodge in order to avoid any issues with gates.

OS Landranger 36 (Grantown, Aviemore & Cairngorm area)

This old route follows a line said to have been used by cattle reivers heading for Glen Feshie and the south. Details about the continuation from Glen More to Feshiebridge can be found here.