Parking
Use Station Square Car Park in Ballater, then follow the waymarked approach into Pannanich Woods to the circuit.
Overview
About Pannanich Woods Circular
Why go
- Wide forest tracks and pavement make up most of the loop.
- The route passes Ballater’s historic Canadian lumber camp site.
Heads up
- One short moderate slope can be muddy after heavy rain.
- The approach from Ballater adds walking beyond the woods circuit.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Cairngorms map
Full mapElevation224–399 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 Pannanich Woods Circular, 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
Ballater Old Royal Station0:00 / 0:34
“Ballater's Old Royal Station is ahead, a handy stop for royal railway history and something to eat.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Cairngorms Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Shoes for the Cattle
- Blaeberry Beneath the Pines
- Cones Disguised as Berries
- Waves Carved in Snow
- 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 Pannanich Woods Circular
The circuitPannanich Woods Circular is an official 2-mile loop through woodland, mostly on wide forest…
Pannanich Woods Circular is an official 2-mile loop through woodland, mostly on wide forest tracks and pavement. Allow about 1¼ hours. It passes the site of Dalmochie Camp, where Canadian lumberjacks lived during the Second World War. Most of the walk is straightforward, with one short moderate slope on firm earth that can turn muddy after heavy rain. The mapped circuit begins at a track junction in the woods; starting from Station Square in Ballater adds the approach.
Dalmochie CampThe route passes the site of the wartime camp where Canadian lumberjacks lived while felling…
The route passes the site of the wartime camp where Canadian lumberjacks lived while felling timber. It is the walk’s main historical point of interest. Keep this short woods circuit distinct from the longer Craig Coillich viewpoint walk, which has a separate summit objective.
CapercaillieCapercaillie live in Pannanich Woods.
Capercaillie live in Pannanich Woods. From April to mid-August, keep dogs on a lead or close at heel and stay on the paths to reduce disturbance.
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.
