Parking
Parking is marked at Kincraig Village Hall; walk a short distance to the route start on Suidhe Crescent.
Overview
About Speyside Way North Loop, Kincraig
Why go
- A compact circuit pairs varied woodland with views over the River Spey.
Heads up
- Short moderately steep sections interrupt otherwise gentle walking.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Cairngorms map
Full mapElevation231–257 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 Speyside Way North Loop, Kincraig, 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
Kincraig’s Lochside Loop0:00 / 0:22
“Kincraig is coming up, and the Lochside Loop is a good choice for an hour through oakwood and along Loch Insh. Start by the Village Hall and follow the circuit back through the village.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Cairngorms Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- A Swan Family’s First Crossing
- Loch Insh, Paddling and the Boathouse
- Feshiebridge and Frank Bruce’s Sculptures
- The Bird That Sounds Like Stones
- 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 Speyside Way North Loop, Kincraig
The loopThe Speyside Way North Loop is a 2¾-mile circular walk from Kincraig.
The Speyside Way North Loop is a 2¾-mile circular walk from Kincraig. It heads north beside the railway, then turns through woodland and returns to the village. Allow about two hours. The route is moderate: much of it is gently graded, with a few short moderately steep sections.
Underfoot and viewsExpect a mix of pavement and firm gravel.
Expect a mix of pavement and firm gravel. The walk passes through oak, aspen, birch and pine woodland, with views over the River Spey along the riverside stretch. The railway stays close beside much of the northbound section, so keep to the walking path.
Start and dogsThe marked starting parking is at Kincraig Village Hall, with a short village walk to the…
The marked starting parking is at Kincraig Village Hall, with a short village walk to the mapped start on Suidhe Crescent. Dogs are permitted under Scotland’s responsible access rules; keep them under proper control, especially near livestock and ground-nesting birds.
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.
