Newsflash: 14th March 2020 saw a guided walk using this Thieves Road as part of a special 175th Anniversary Walks Programme arranged for ScotWays members; in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the remaining walks will likely be rearranged for 2021. Other historic routes featured include the Herring Road, the Stoneymollan Road, the Cauldstane Slap, the Old Road by Macduff's Cross and the Spout of Ballochleam. If you're not yet a ScotWays member, please consider joining up as membership helps support the Heritage Paths project; it'll be great to see you on the walks when we're all back out and about!

From Feshiebridge the original line of this track heads NNW and goes round a small gate onto a now disused section of road. Crossing the unclassified road it then enters a forest car park at NH853043. The main forest track is followed until reaching a junction at NH857045 and taking the left hand track over the Moor of Feshie. At the next junction – NH863054 – take a right, heading E towards the hills. Follow this good forest road until a cairn is sighted at NH878056. The way forward is to the right of this cairn. The track narrows slightly at first and then becomes little more than a footpath as it descends to cross a small stream on a wooden bridge at NH882056. The track then rises and passes Inshriach (Drake's) Bothy at NH883056. The path now becomes narrower and less well surfaced, crosses a shallow ford at NH888056 and heads NE towards Loch Gamhna to a junction at NH893068. Taking a right here leads to the Loch an Eilein circular path at NH893071.
The Loch an Eilein path is very well maintained, broad and mostly smooth. Heading E and then NE, a bench and gate are reached at NH905077. This gate was unlocked at the time of survey and seems to remain so as Rothiemurchus Estate publicise this path as being “all-abilities”. The way to Glen More takes a right immediately after this gate and is signposted for Loch Morlich. The path remains mostly smooth with only occasional boulders and roots to be negotiated. A complicated junction is reached near NH915078 but the way to Loch Morlich is signposted. Lochan Deo is passed on the right. The track continues on until NH926077 and the Cairngorm Club Footbridge. Crossing this bridge the track then becomes a little rougher as it heads SE and then NE to the junction known as Picadilly at NH938075. Head straight across this junction to meet the access road for Rothiemurchus Lodge at NH949082.
Turn left onto this broad forest road until the junction at NH956093 is reached. Loch Morlich is just visible through the trees and there is a wooden marker pole signposting a Red route. The track is muddy hereabouts until the small wooden bridge at NH959089 and the junction thereafter. The track around the south shore of Loch Morlich is broad and well surfaced and is often pisted for cross-country ski-ers in the winter. Stay on this track past the junction at NH969089 and take a slight left at NH977088. The road to the ski area is reached at a car park at NH980091

This path is suitable for cyclists. The rough track between the bothy and Loch Gamhna may require some caution and it will be necessary to carry a bike up the steps to the Cairngorm Club Footbridge.

This path is also suitable for horse riders. At the time of survey the only gate encountered was unlocked and it should remain so. A shallow ford some 75m upstream of the Cairngorm Club Footbridge can be used for the crossing of the Allt Druidh.

OS Landranger 36 (Grantown, Aviemore & Cairngorm area)