Walk 3 The Livet Path.

Distance: 6 miles (9.5km) circuit.

Start: GR 235 249. Allanreid car park, Tombae road.

Route: Attractive low level walk along the banks of the river Livet. Returning across moorland and farmland, through the Braes. Exposed in bad weather and can be muddy in places. Allow 3-4 hours

Access information: Grouse shooting activities may affect the section of this walk between the River Livet and the Blye Water during August and September. An alternative longer route, following the hill track from the river Livet to East Auchavaich via Ladderfoot (follow cycle route 5) adds a further 3.5 miles (6 km) to the walk. This can be used to complete the circuit to avoid shooting activities or at other times if required. Livestock may be present on some sections at any time of the year.

This track follows the river Livet into wild, remote and lonely countryside to an area which in the past was the haunt of whisky smugglers, secretly manufacturing their spirit in well disguised "Sma' stills", tucked away next to bubbling springs, in the remote recesses of the Ladder hills.

Sure footed Highland ponies once trod the well developed hill tracks, burdened by their illicit loads, on arduous journeys to the markets in the south and east. The open bowl of the Suidhe (pron. "sue-ee) and the wide expanse of the Gordon flats, which once afforded the smuggler a clear view of approaching officials is today prime grouse shooting country, and comes alive with the activity of breeding moorland birds in the Spring and early Summer.

From the Allanreid car park cross the road bridge and continue past a small memorial cairn onto the Achdregnie farm road. After a short distance, leave this road and head towards the footbridge over the river Livet. Turn left before the bridge and head south eastwards along the north bank of the river.

After passing through a newly planted shelter belt, the trail turns eastwards leaving the river for a short section before rejoining it at the ford near Inverblye, where another bridge provides a route across the river. Cross the bridge and follow the track through a gate. Continue along the well defined track on the south bank of the river for about 1.5 km until the path meets another gate.Not far past the small cottage near the ford about 100m to the west of the track, traces of an ancient Neolithic farm settlement can be found amongst the heather. This dates back to about 3000 years ago and is the largest surviving example of its kind in this area.

The walk from the Inverblye ford alongside the river, though fairly remote and exposed in bad weather is one of the most enjoyable on the Estate. This area is rich in birdlife, especially during the spring and summer when the breeding migrants arrive. The resident grouse and snipe are joined by curlews, oystercatchers, lapwings and sandpipers which come to nest here in the spring. Dippers can be seen flitting up and down the river throughout the year while goosanders and teal can occasionally be observed in the summer flying above the tumbling water. Swifts and swallows, swell the population of wheatears, skylarks and meadow pipits here in their search for the summer bounty of insects, themselves on occasion, falling prey to kestrels and merlins. During the summer splashes of pink wild thyme decorate the rocky banks of the Livet, its distinctive smell enriching the air. Underfoot, the rock is granite the only place on Glenlivet Estate that this hard igneous rock (which forms the high ground of Ben Rinnes in the north and the Cairngorms to the southwest) is found. With the backdrop of the Ladder Hills, (name derived from the Gaelic: leitir, leitreach meaning slope, side of a hill), the walk passes through expansive moorland for a long time the hunting grounds of the Dukes of Richmond and Gordon. It is here, on the lower slopes at the northern end of the Ladder Hills that you can occasionally pick out the distant shapes of red deer, browsing amongst the heather.

To continue along Walk 3, cross the stile at the second gate and turn right leaving the main track. (The main track continues eastwards to the Suie where the red roofed cottage of Knochkan marks the boundary of Glenlivet Estate with Glenfiddich Estate. This route can be used to extend the walk or to link up with rights-of-way which continue north eastwards beyond Suie house through the Blackwater Forest to Cabrach and through Glen Suie to Glenfiddich).

Follow the fence southwards, away from the river for about 200m to another small gate. Turn right through the gate and follow the track (which at first is fairly indistinct in places) westwards through the heather. The track soon becomes more obvious and crosses the open moor to reach the Blye water at the Burnside of Thain. In bad weather with the wind to the west, the path across the moor is exposed. However the views onto the Bochel and the Braes of Glenlivet, compensate for the effort and there is always the thought of ghostly smugglers to hasten your step. The section of the route which crosses the moor may be affected by shooting activities during the Grouse shooting season (August and September). Shooting activities should be easily visible while walking along the riverside path. If you see or hear any sign of shooting, please wait until it is safe to proceed or divert your route around the shooting area.

At the Blye Water, continue across the burn and along the farm track (muddy when wet) to join another farm road near Achnascraw farm. At this point the walk can be extended slightly by turning left (south) and walking along the farm road towards the farmhouse, then turning right onto the tarmac road that leads into Chapeltown.

Avoiding this extension, cross the stile at the gate and continue straight on for about 50m then turn right (northwards) and walk through the field, alongside the fence, following the track which heads towards the Bochel, a prominent hill which marks the entrance to the Braes from the north. Continue along the farm track past Eskmore and Badievochel to the point where walk 3 joins walk 10. At this junction, continue northwards following the sheep walks which skirt the base of the Bochel, keeping to the topside of the fence, away from the track running parallel to the right. At the north eastern side of the hill above the Glack cottage, walk 3 diverges from walk 10 and heads downhill, through the field, to join another track which continues northwards over the Livet footbridge, rejoining the starting route near Allanreid.

Glenlivet welcomes you to explore its tracks and byways.