Walk 8 Glenbrown and Kylnadrochit.

Distance: 4 miles (6.75 km) circuit

Start: GR 133 209. White Bridge car park, on A939 near Bridge of Brown.

Route: A relatively low level walk along a mixture of forest, farm and hill tracks with some fine views of the surrounding countryside. (The circuit can be walked in either direction, depending on whether you wish to start or finish with the short main road section. The route described here follows the walk in a clockwise direction). Allow 2-3 hours

Access information: Access information: During May, June and July, roe deer stalking activities may be taking place during the evenings and early mornings. Livestock may be present on some sections at any time of the year.

This is an excellent circuit through varied and interesting countryside with fine views down Strath Avon and up Glen Brown (Bruin in old documents).
Take the track heading eastwards from the White Bridge car park along the edge of the Tom nam Marbh plantation. About 750m from the car park, cross a stile at a gate then continue a short distance downhill to a sharp bend where the track turns to the left and descends to rejoin the main road above Fodderletter Farm. Leave the track at the bend and head southwards, following the indistinct, waymarked path across the hillside beneath the overhead power cables. Soon after passing beneath the power lines, turn eastwards again, following the waymarkers down hill to the Allt fuar burn. Cross the burn and pick up the sheep walk which meanders through the Juniper scrub, continuing south eastwards along the path as it skirts the hillside. As you reach the edge of a birch woodland, take the path which leads downhill to a gate in the trees. Stay in the woods and continue south eastwards following the topside of the fence, to the point where you reach the Kylnadrochit plantation. Enter the plantation at the stile, then head immediately downhill to pick up the well defined path which leads through the trees to the forest road.

Turn right onto the forest road and continue southwards passing Kylnadrochit lodge,(Caol na drochit - the narrows of the bridge) which is on the left. This is one of two Victorian sporting lodges on the Estate, built originally by a locally born minister and later acquired by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon as a replacement for the Lecht Lodge which was destroyed by fire in 1915. It is now part of the Crown Estate and is occupied by the estate sporting tenant. Follow the forest road past the lodge and around the right bend past the private house at the Torrans. After the bend take the left fork of the road, continuing south-westwards, parallel to the unseen Allt na Cluaine burn, which is hidden from view in the trees. After about 2.5 km the forest road emerges from the plantation at Stronachavie. Here, leave the main track and turn northwards following the forest fence, uphill, then slightly downhill, to an old gate where the track diverges. (From Stronachavie the main track continues straight on crossing the Burn of Brown and joining a hill track which eventually leads to Dorback Lodge near Nethy Bridge).

At the old gate, take the left fork of the track (the right fork continues alongside the forest fence to the top of Tom Beag) and head westwards, then north westwards across the hillside overlooking Glen Brown. Keep an eye open for black grouse which can sometimes be seen in the fields down by the river and among the juniper scrub on the hillsides. As you enter a field, the track disappears, then reappears close to the ruins of Tombreck, one of many deserted farmhouses scattered here. At the ruins, pick up the rough farm track again and head north wards, continuing through the narrow strip of the Tom Mor plantation. Follow the track to the hair pin bend on the Tomintoul Grantown road near the Bridge of Brown, then turn right, uphill and climb the short but steep section of the main road which leads back to the White Bridge car park.

Glenlivet welcomes you to explore its tracks and byways.