Parking
Start at Druim an Aird / Pattack Falls Car Park on the A86 (grid reference NN 567 903); parking is free. Overnight parking is not allowed. Laggan Wolftrax café and toilets are a separate stop and open part-time during the season.
Overview
About Druim an Aird Township Trail
Why go
- The old township gives this woodland walk a clear, unusual destination.
- The route mixes woodland, heathery ground and forest tracks.
Heads up
- The signed route returns the same way; the circular alternative is rough underfoot.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Cairngorms map
Full mapElevation262–314 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 Druim an Aird Township 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
Lower Pattack Falls0:00 / 0:32
“You're coming up on Lower Pattack Falls, a quick woodland break from the A86. Allow about fifteen minutes for the short walk to cascades tucked into a rocky gorge.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Cairngorms Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Upper Falls of Pattack from Gallovie
- A Military Road’s Unintended Use
- Laggan Wolftrax and Dun da Lamh
- A Pine Marten’s Long Pause
- 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 Druim an Aird Township Trail
The walkDruim an Aird Township Trail is a moderate 4.4 km (2.
Druim an Aird Township Trail is a moderate 4.4 km (2.75 mi) out-and-back from the Druim an Aird car park to the remains of an abandoned township. Allow about 1 hour 45 minutes. Yellow markers lead through mixed woodland, over heathery ground and down to a forest road; from there the route climbs moderately to the ruins. Return to the same car park. The mapped line is only a schematic overview and is shorter than half the official return distance, so follow the on-site markers rather than relying on it turn by turn.
Footing and wayfindingThe early path is narrow, with rocky and rooted sections.
The early path is narrow, with rocky and rooted sections. Farther on, forest tracks lead to grassy paths around the remains. The signposted route is marked in one direction; use it as an out-and-back because the circular alternative is rough underfoot. Dogs are welcome; keep them close to heel and follow local signs, especially around wildlife and livestock.
At the townshipHouses, barns and kilns remain within a fenced enclosure, with an interpretation board and…
Houses, barns and kilns remain within a fenced enclosure, with an interpretation board and grassy paths around the buildings. The reason the settlement was abandoned is not known for certain. One local story says the men died in a snowstorm while returning from wedding celebrations; treat that as folklore, not established history.
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.
