Parking
Start at the end of Forest Road in Grantown-on-Spey. Only a few spaces are reported at the south end of the road, with a few more near the curling pond.
Overview
About Anagach Blue Trail
Why go
- A blue-waymarked loop through ancient pinewood with sections of the Speyside Way.
- A quiet woodland walk close to Grantown-on-Spey.
Heads up
- The advertised 2-mile length differs from the 2.46-mile mapped loop.
- Short uneven sections and moderate slopes.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Cairngorms map
Full mapElevation200–221 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Cairngorms alerts
- CautionStorm Boelo high windsStorm Boelo will bring extremely windy weather to the Cairngorms; take extra care and limit time outdoors. - The Park Authority expects the very windy weather to last until Monday 26 October.Official details
- ClosureGlenmore wildfire closures and dangerous treesWildfire damage has closed Allt Mor car park and the path to Sugarbowl/Utsi’s Bridge; keep out of the closed area.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Cairngorms Tour Guide
Your drive to Anagach Blue Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Cairngorms National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Cairngorms audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Anagach Woods' All Abilities Trail0:00 / 0:28
“You're approaching Anagach Woods, where the All Abilities Trail offers a gentle way into the pinewoods.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Cairngorms Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Grantown Square and Museum
- Two Sides of a River Bend
- When the Main Line Crossed Dava
- A Twelve O’Clock Caber
- 298 audio storiesacross Cairngorms’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Reindeer, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 260 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Anagach Blue Trail
The loopAnagach Blue Trail is a waymarked circuit through native Scots pinewoods at Grantown-on-Spey.
Anagach Blue Trail is a waymarked circuit through native Scots pinewoods at Grantown-on-Spey. It circles Anagach Moss and follows sections of the Speyside Way. The advertised length is 2 miles (3.2 km), but the mapped blue loop measures about 2.46 miles (3.94 km); allow roughly 1–1½ hours and check the blue map at the start.
Footing and wayfindingStart at the end of Forest Road and follow the blue waymarks back to the same access.
Start at the end of Forest Road and follow the blue waymarks back to the same access. Most of the path is well made, with some short uneven sections and moderate slopes. A wide gate at the start opens both ways. This is a woodland walk rather than a hilltop route, so its appeal is the changing texture of pinewood and moss rather than a big summit view.
Pinewood wildlifeAnagach’s ancient pinewoods are important habitat for capercaillie.
Anagach’s ancient pinewoods are important habitat for capercaillie. Red squirrels and crested tits are also associated with the route. From April to mid-August, keep dogs on a short lead and on the path to help protect capercaillie; follow any signs in the wood.
Start and parkingThe start is at the Forest Road end of the woods.
The start is at the Forest Road end of the woods. Parking is sparse: a few spaces are reported at the south end of Forest Road, with a few more near the curling pond. Grantown-on-Spey is close for cafés before or after the walk.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Cairngorms
159 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
63 sightingsReindeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
102 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
37 sightingsBlack GrouseMost seen around 4 AMSighting map
72 sightingsRed GrouseMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
82 sightingsPine MartenMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Cairngorms. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
