Glen Feshie Drove Road Show path on map
Start location: Feshiebridge ( NH 852 043 )
End location: White Bridge, 4.5km W of Linn of Dee ( NO 061 897 )
Geographical area: Cairngorms National Park
Path type: Drove Road
Path distance: 35km
Accessibility info: Suitable for pedestrians
Route Description
This is one of the three classic, long Cairngorm rights of way, the others being the Lairig Ghru and the Lairig an Laoigh. Unlike those, this does not go through the heart of these mountains, but rather round their south-western perimeter. The start of the route goes through the forested lower reaches of Glen Feshie culminating in the fine stands of Scots pine at Ruigh-aiteachain (the MBA bothy here has undergone a major renovation by Glenfeshie Estate, so is once again open), beyond which there is a very fine section through the narrow glen enclosed by steep crags. Then the way goes for many kilometres over more open country across the watershed between the Feshie and the Geldie and eastwards to join the River Dee.
One possible starting point in Strathspey is Drumguish at the foot of Glen Tromie (5km from Kingussie along the B970 past Ruthven Barracks). From there follow the right of way east, at first along a road through the forest to the bridges over the Allt Chromhraig and Allt na Caoleig (one of this pair of bridges was washed away in January 2016 – the stream is reportedly difficult or impossible to cross if in spate, but easy in dry weather). Continue east along a grassy track past the ruin of Corarnstilmore and over open ground to re-enter the forest and reach the private road up Glen Feshie, ½km north of Stronetoper. This point may equally well be reached from the more usual starting point of Feshiebridge (2½km from Kincraig) by going up the west bank of the River Feshie via Ballintean and Tolvah.
Either way, now continue up Glen Feshie by the private road. Although the original route continued to Carnachuin, its bridge was swept away in 2009, so instead cross the Feshie sooner at NN851964 by the pony bridge, joining the path from Auchlean on the east bank. Follow the track (in places a path) along the River Feshie through fine old pine woods and below the steep crags and screes of Creag na Gaibhre. About 11km from Carnachuin, the River Eidart is reached. Go upstream for several hundred metres to cross this potentially dangerous river by a bridge at NN914886 and a short distance beyond it resume an easterly course to cross the watershed to the north bank of the Geldie Burn. About 5km beyond the Eidart, the road from Geldie Lodge (ruin) is joined and the route is then down the Geldie, in a further 5km joining the path from Glen Tilt. Continue 2.5km northeast to reach White Bridge and the River Dee, where one of the approaches to the Lairig Ghru is met. Alternatively, follow the river east for 4.5km to the Linn of Dee, from which Braemar is a further 10km down the valley.
It is worthy of note that there are a number of side streams that may need to be forded on this route up Glen Feshie. This Active Outdoors article from February 2017 explains more about how the estate is trying to manage the impacts of flooding and erosion in Glen Feshie.
Heritage Information
Most of this route is depicted as a road in Roy's Military Survey of 1747-55, although he maps it as starting from the Ruthven direction, as described in the first option above, rather than up the glen from Inverfeshie. This may well reflect reflect the relative importance of the approaches considering this is mid-eighteenth century mapping, and Feshie Bridge wasn't built until late that century.
ARB Haldane, in The Drove Roads of Scotland, states that this route was indeed used as a drove road and that local tradition had it, when he was writing in the 1950s, that there was an early cattle Tryst on the summit of An Sgarsoch at the head of Glen Tilt. If this is true then it must have been a very wind blown cattle market at times. Haldane suggests that the elevated position would have given the market some defence against surprise attack, implying that it must have been a very early Tryst indeed.
In 1885, Walter A Smith led the Cairngorms signposting delegation which ultimately led to the Jock’s Road court case. Broadcaster James Naughtie kindly recorded excerpts from WAS’s journal for ScotWays as part of its 175th anniversary celebrations, so we invite you to listen to Day 4 when this right of way through Glen Feshie was signposted.
Although the river crossing just before the Eidart joins the Feshie is normally fordable, the Eidart drains an enormous area south from Braerich and Cairn Toul. The water can raise very rapidly, with no easy crossing further upstream, and lives have been lost there. It was noted by Walter A Smith in his Hill Paths In Scotland (1924) that "a bridge is much needed here!" In July 1957, with the co-operation of the Glen Feshie estate, the Scottish Rights of Way Society commissioned and financed the erection of the Eidart Bridge (NN914886). It was built over the gorge a little upstream of the ford to an innovative design by a Cairngorm Club member, Dr George Taylor of Aberdeen University Engineering Department. Having been given the nod that the Territorials would be pleased to help as a weekend exercise, the bridge was accordingly cleverly designed with a main beam composed of short poles which could be carried by hand by a large number of the soldiers. A rather small group of volunteers first went out for three or four (very wet) weekends to prepare the foundations and so on. The 30 or so Territorials then spent a weekend to move up the main bulk of the materials. Really helpfully they also assisted with the erection of the scaffolding-type bridge at the site and launch it over the gap to the foundation on the far bank. The bridge has stood the test of time well, belying its frail appearance. In August 2021, ScotWays replaced the bridge deck.
