Parking
Station Square, Ballater; public parking is marked close to the start.
Overview
About Riverside Walk, Ballater
Why go
- River and mountain views on a short village loop
- Mostly wide, earthy paths
Heads up
- One steep, uneven section
- Some narrow, rough, rocky footing
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Cairngorms map
Full mapElevation196–217 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 Riverside Walk, Ballater, 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 Riverside Walk, Ballater
A low-level loop from the villageRiverside Walk is a low-level circular route of about 2¼ miles (3.
Riverside Walk is a low-level circular route of about 2¼ miles (3.7 km), starting from Station Square and circling between the River Dee and Ballater Golf Club. Allow about 1½ hours. One section is steep and uneven, so expect a little more effort than a flat riverside stroll.
The path and viewsFollow the Dee beside the golf course on mostly wide, earthy paths.
Follow the Dee beside the golf course on mostly wide, earthy paths. Some stretches narrow and become rough and rocky, and the route has one steep, uneven section. It stays low overall, with mountain views along the way.
Starting in BallaterBegin at Station Square and follow the green waymarks around the circuit.
Begin at Station Square and follow the green waymarks around the circuit. Public parking and toilets are marked close to the start. Dogs are welcome; keep them close at heel or on a short lead in busier places, and follow posted signs.
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.
