Parking
No verified parking at Rhindhu. A car park is described opposite the Bridgehaugh gate, but visitor access and capacity are unconfirmed; arrange transport between the endpoints.
Overview
About Glenfiddich Road
Why go
- Long point-to-point walk across heather moor and two glens
- Queen’s Cairn and deserted Suie add historic interest
- Historic route finishes in Dufftown
Heads up
- One-way route needs end-to-end transport
- Remote wayfinding and a reported stream ford
- Current Glen Fiddich bank access and crossings are unverified
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Cairngorms map
Full mapElevation154–532 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 Glenfiddich Road, 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 area
East Auchavaich and the Smugglers Trail0:00 / 0:27
“You're approaching East Auchavaich, the start of the Malcolm Gillespie Smugglers Trail.”
Plays on the road 1.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Cairngorms Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Scalan Seminary from Carrachs
- Coconut Scent in the Gorse
- Allanreid and the Livet Path
- Glenlivet’s Missing Arch
- 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 Glenfiddich Road
Route and logisticsThis 23.1 km (14.35 mi) one-way walk runs from Rhindhu in the Braes of Glenlivet to Dufftown.
This 23.1 km (14.35 mi) one-way walk runs from Rhindhu in the Braes of Glenlivet to Dufftown. Allow about nine hours as a planning estimate; no official walking time was found. Arrange transport between the two ends. The mapped route reaches Dufftown by Smithstown and farm roads, an alternative to the 5 km A941 road approach.
WayfindingFrom Rhindhu, the route passes Burnside of Thain, crosses heather moor toward the River Livet,…
From Rhindhu, the route passes Burnside of Thain, crosses heather moor toward the River Livet, then follows tracks to deserted Suie. Before Suie it crosses Kymah Burn; the route description mentions a ford and a nearby footbridge at Knochkan, but current conditions are unverified. About 300 m beyond Suie, keep left and continue north-northeast up Glen Suie, rather than turning right toward Steplar. At the head of the glen, take the branch descending Glen Fiddich, not the branch toward Corryhabbie Hill.
Glen Fiddich accessThe historic route line follows the west bank north of Tor Elick to Glenfiddich Lodge, while a…
The historic route line follows the west bank north of Tor Elick to Glenfiddich Lodge, while a more substantial mapped path appears on the east bank. The route description refers to a bridge and gates near the lodge. Their present condition and the west-bank access have not been checked; verify local access before setting out and do not cross a closed gate or use an unsafe crossing.
History and landmarksQueen’s Cairn, raised for Queen Victoria’s 1867 visit, stands a short distance from the route…
Queen’s Cairn, raised for Queen Victoria’s 1867 visit, stands a short distance from the route near NJ 2876 2786. The route reaches its high ground nearby before descending into Glen Fiddich. At Suie, a milestone found in 1994 bears “Glenfiddich 6 1/2”; its age and original purpose are uncertain. The Corryhabbie Hill route is Morton’s Way, a separate branch.
Terrain and preparationThe route crosses open moor and remote glens, with long rural track sections and limited…
The route crosses open moor and remote glens, with long rural track sections and limited wayfinding landmarks. The sampled elevation profile ranges from 154 to 532 m. There is no confirmed parking at Rhindhu, and no verified food, toilet or water facilities on the route. A car park is described opposite the Bridgehaugh gate, but its availability and capacity are unconfirmed. Dogs may accompany walkers under Scotland’s access code; keep them under control, especially around livestock and wildlife.
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.
