speyside way distilleries
Dotted with distilleries, rushing rivers and ancient Caledonian … The Speyside Way offers an easy and well signposted walk that passes through some of Scotland’s most varied and beautiful scenery. Explain any changes you require in the Comments section of the Enquiry Form. Isle of Lewis, Isle of Harris & Stornoway, Flavour profile: fruity, sweet, spicy, vanilla. 6 nights' accommodation for 2 people sharing in quality B&Bs, guest houses, inns and hotels. It’s the ideal place for whisky distilleries in Scotland and Speyside is home to over half of all Scotland’s whisky distilleries. }, Speyside Distillery Benromach creates virtual whisky tour for fans stuck at home. Fill out our enquiry form today. It's the pastoral, secluded glens in the area, along with the crystal-clear waters of the River Spey and other local rivers and the warmer climate that combine to produce smooth, complex whiskies with sweet, caramel and fruity notes. The Speyside Way is generally flat and suitable for all the family but, there are two significant climbs – the shoulder of Ben Aigan (270m) and the other over Carn Daimh (450m) on the Tomintoul Spur. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. (Cardhu Distillery at Knockando)
Terrain. Depart Ballindalloch past the old station to pass Cragganmore Distillery. Opened in 1981, the route has the added attraction of embracing a large number of iconic whisky distilleries en route. Expert local knowledge, gifts and inspiration. Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera. Overnight Grantown on Spey. This busy little town has its own harbour and marina and number of facilities including a leisure centre, two golf courses and two outdoor bowling parks. A northern extension from Spey Bay to Buckie followed in 1999, with the route being further extended from Ballindalloch to … These malts are noted in general for their elegance and complexity, sometimes with a refined smokiness but more often a fruitiness ranging from ripe pears to sultanas. First opened in 1981, it is one of Scotland’s Official Long Distance Walks – extending 65miles (105km) with the option of interesting spurs to Dufftown (4miles / 6.5km) and Tomintoul (15miles / 24km) making the total distance 84miles (135km). Distilleries to visit on this stage: Aberlour, Cardhu and Cragganmore
A small, hand-built, artisan distillery nestled amongst the foothills of the beautiful Cairngorm Mountains, still hand distilling in time-honoured traditions and widely acknowledged to be amongst the prettiest of all Scotland’s distilleries. Travel time from central Scotland is 3.5 hours in each direction, whereas Inverness lies around 1.5 hours drive away from the Speyside area.
PLEASE NOTE: due to COVID19 restrictions, Distilleries may open and close at short notice, and may also only offer limited tour and tasting options. Suggested Itinerary – Click each day to expand. The path continues along the flat coastal area to re-join the main road, before heading inland to join the old railway line for 1.5km, through forestry to the Spey Bay Hotel and its former ice-house, which is now a Wildlife Visitor Centre. Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail is a tourism initiative featuring seven working Speyside distilleries, a historic distillery (Dallas Dhu, now a museum) and the Speyside Cooperage.A 2012 BBC article recommends a leisurely tour, taking a day or two at each distillery to appreciate the local "traditions and lore". Why not stay in a castle, a lighthouse or on a working farm? Speyside Visitor Centre is situated on the Speyside Way beside the River Spey and is close to the centre of the town of Aberlour. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Then a steep descent and switch-back climb will level off on a long woodland section to reach Boat o’ Brig and on past Bridgeton Farm, with views over the Spey Valley. It is entirely possible to combine the day walk with a trip on the steam train of the Strathspey Railway. It is a scenic walk along riverside tracks and through pinewoods, with plenty of opportunity to sample the local malt whiskies along the way. The Speyside Way is a wonderful long distance walk ranging from 65 miles to 92 miles. For the full route guidelines, please click here. Speyside Way. Sample the remarkable flavours of Speyside's fine malts as you explore the region, and follow the world-famous Malt Whisky Trail™ - the world's ultimate Scotch whisky experience - comprising of nine 'must-visit' sites including seven working distilleries, Dallas Dhu historic distillery and the Speyside Cooperage - the only working cooperage in the UK. Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail is the only trail of its kind in the world. Rooms with shower/wc (where available), Door to door baggage transfer - maximum 18 kg per bag, Travel information to the start and from the finish of the walk. Overnight Aviemore. Follow paths and tracks through woods and fields with plenty of ascents and descents in fine birch woodlands, heather clad hills, grazing pastures and the beautiful native Scots pines of Anagach Woods. The Speyside Way is a delightful walking holiday through the heart of our whisky country to the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains. Many are within a few miles of each other making it an ideal area for whisky tours. Just over 100 kilometres in length, the trail is easily accessible from the nearby cities of Inverness and Aberdeen, while also readily reachable from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. "streetAddress": "Haypark Business Centre, Marchmont Ave, Polmont", Easyways Ltd is a Scottish company registered at Haypark Marchmont Avenue, Polmont, Falkirk, FK2 0NZ. It was first opened in 1981, to run from Spey Bay to Ballindalloch, with a spur to Tomintoul being added in 1990. "@type": "PostalAddress", Leave Grantown and take Forest Road to pass the golf course before following the sign for Nethy Bridge and continue on the old military road and to cross the old bridge over the wide River Spey and head for the Speyside Smokehouse ahead and on to Balliefurth Farm with views across the river to Ballintomb the rallying ground of the local Clan Grant. Entries are now FULL Entries will be provided on a first come, first serve basis. "@context": "http://schema.org", We offer flexible tours of the Speyside Way Whisky Trail that allow you to walk for 5-days up to 9-days (with plenty of time to visit the world-famous distilleries along the way!) Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling & Forth Valley, Strathisla Distillery, Keith, Moray Speyside. There is a thriving local population and a welcoming atmosphere of an all year round activity centre offering walking, climbing, biking, and a whole host of other activities as part of the Cairngorms National Park. Overnight Craigellachie. This itinerary can be adapted to suit you. After Boat o’ Brig there is a more demanding section up through forestry. This is the hardest (and most spectacular) section of the Speyside Way. Originally a barley mill and croft dating back to the 1700's, it closed in 1965 and over the next 25 years it was slowly and lovingly converted into a single malt distillery, … Multi-use: Use of much of this section by bicycles or horses is not sustainable because of ground conditions. Next you will pass through woodland and cross over the Bridge of Arndilly and MacDowall Bridge, emerging on the busy A95 at the Bridge of Fiddich, then walk on to Craigellachie where this stage ends. Speyside is home to some of the best whiskies in the world. It offers a mostly easy and well signposted walk that passes through some of Scotland’s most varied and beautiful scenery. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. No access for buggies or wheelchairs. Waymarked, Navigational Skills Minor roads, moorland paths and tracks, some parts improved, others can be wet or rough. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. A special feature of this area is the rich and varied bird-life ranging from the seabirds and waders of the Spey estuary to the eagles, buzzards and ospreys of the inland mountains and lochs. The Way now runs between two fences before joining a track for almost 2km with good views over Strathspey and the Cairngorms National Park. Congratulations - you have completed the Speyside Way! The Speyside Way begins at Cluny Square in the centre of Buckie and follows the A990 to Portgordon, passing through an old fisherman’s district and crossing the Buckie Burn on to Buckpool. Wildlife includes dolphins, which can be seen from the beach at the mouth of Spey Bay – also a good spot for observing otters and ospreys. "telePhone": "+441324 714132", Along the way walkers pass through a series of attractive villages and some of the many whisky distilleries for which Speyside is so famous. The Speyside Way is one of four official Long Distance Routes in Scotland (the others are the West Highland Way, the Southern Upland Way and the Great Glen Way). All abilities: Not suitable for those with walking difficulties. It was first opened in 1981, to run from Spey Bay to Ballindalloch, with a spur to Tomintoul being added in 1990. A prominent characteristic of the Speyside Way is the 50 or so single malt whisky distilleries in the area (out of 100 in Scotland) including Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Macallan, Tamdhu, Aberlour and others. "latitude": "55.990277", Email: info@easyways.com You'll find Speyside ideally sandwiched between the rugged Highlands in the west, the fertile farmlands of Aberdeenshire in the east and to the north of the Cairngorms National Park. Depart Craigellachie on signpost to the Speyside Way to Aberlour to follow the path leading to the old station, now a cafe and Information Centre. "name": "Easyways", Please click on your favourite Scotch Whisky distillery on theWhisky Trail map below, the Scotland map or the A-Z list at the bottom of the page. Company No: SC294464. Find more advice on exploring Scotland during Covid-19 on our dedicated page. Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice. Overnight Ballindalloch. ... Top tech allows you to navigate your way around the distillery as though you were actually there in person. Speyside Whisky Distilleries Moray is home to the Speyside Whisky Region. The route features great scenery in the Spey valley, in places following the river banks closely, elsewhere crossing open moorland or following disused railway trackbed. Moderate to Strenuous, Route Signposting This section mostly follows an old derelict railway line, passing the little town of Aberlour, before continuing along the railway past a succession of distilleries to end at Ballindalloch. Some of Scotland’s most famous distilleries await, too, including Glenfiddich, Machallan, and Cardhu. Macallan Distillery can be visited on this stage: McCallan
The Speyside Way connects to the Moray Coast Trail at Buckie, and with the Dava Way at Grantown-on-Spey; with these two routes it is possible to walk a circuit (known as the 'Moray Way'). "email": " info@easyways.com", Overall, the Speyside Way is an approachable, settled route through a wild and beguiling landscape. At Dalmunach the route emerges to continue ahead on the middle grassy track and the old railway line alongside the Spey to reach Knockando (House) Distillery. Speyside whiskies are usually lighter and sweeter than other Scotch single malts. Speyside is famous for its wonderful whisky and is … Speyside is one of the loveliest and most unspoilt parts of the British Isles. Leading through the heart of the malt whisky capital of the world the Speyside Way Whisky Trail passes close to more than 20 distilleries. These cookies do not store any personal information. The Speyside line closed to passengers on 18 October 1965, [1] the same date as the closure of … "longitude": "-3.710088" From Glenfiddich, to Cardhu, Glendullan, The Balvenie, The Macallan and Glenfarclas and Cragganmore, the landscape is rich with whisky. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Branch off from the low-level Speyside Way for this more dramatic spur route leading up and over moorland to the high village of Tomintoul. There are magnificent views of 18th century mansion, Arndilly House, on the right, which was once the home of the chief of Clan Menzies. A very, very big name that must be on this list is Glenfiddich. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The heritage trail consists of seven Speyside single malt distilleries and a cooperage that are in production and operational, whilst the Dallas Dhu distillery is a historic distillery. Cross the high bridge over the Cally Burn and continue through woods and fields to Blacksboat, an attractive old station, to cross a suspension bridge over a tributary and eventually reach the huge iron-box bridge over the Spey, built by C McFarlane of Dundee to end in Ballindalloch. The Speyside Way is a good introduction to hiking. You can also stay an extra night at any point on The Speyside Way, there is so much to see in the area. Speyside is whisky heaven! By embracing the Whisky Trail that conveniently runs through Speyside, the walk also offers an opportunity to visit a number of distilleries in the region. The track then continues alongside the Alder woodland of the river mouth, eventually reaching the Spey. The final amount you pay may be lower or higher than our Fixed Price, depending on the options you choose. The Glenlivet Distillery a handy stopping point half way along this more challenging spur route. Cross the track to join the old rail line and continue through the first of many chain-gates (a feature on this section) to more open area that can be boggy to reach Tormore Distillery and the A95 Road. Speyside Distillery. The Speyside Way is one of four official Long Distance Routes in Scotland (the others are the West Highland Way, the Southern Upland Way and the Great Glen Way). © 2021 VisitScotland. "priceRange":"$"
}. This final section of the Speyside Way offers a variety and mountain views to reach the beautiful highland town of Aviemore. Follow the signs for Kinchurdy to pass the edge of a golf course close to the edge of Aviemore to cross the bridge through woodland and on to roads following the sign for Aviemore Centre. An easy-going section following the old railway line as far as Nethy Bridge, where there is a shop, and through the nature reserve woodland to Boat of Garten where it is possible to detour from the route and visit the Osprey Centre at Loch Garten. If you have any extra questions, feel free to contact us, we’d love to hear from you. and we can also plan your tour based on your hiking ability as we offer gentle, moderate and challenging itineraries. In the glens and valleys along the Spey, are many distilleries. The railway served the numerous distilleries that operated in the Spey Valley, many of these distilleries having their own small tank engines, or ‘pugs’ as they were known. Visit world-famous distilleries for a taste of Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Macallan, Glen Grant, Cardhu, Chivas Regal or Aberlour Whisky. You will continue along the track to Red Sheugh Burn, before rejoining a tarmac road for almost 2km. Speyside is arguably the driest and warmest part of Scotland and the fertile farmlands in and around the region are ideal for growing barley, which when combined with soft local water tumbling down off the mountains, produces some of Scotland's best-loved malt whiskies. Then it’s back into the woods until the path leads under the A96 road bridge, following a path beside the Fochabers Burn, leading to the centre of Fochabers Square. The route will follow the Speyside Way from Cragganmore Distillery, Ballindalloch to the town centre in Buckie. Leave the road behind and climb a grassy path until a Speyside Way sign indicates where to turn and descend steeply to meet a harder-surfaced track to a prominent new footbridge. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. "openingHours": "Mo,Tu,We,Th,Fr 09:00-17:00", }, Welcome to The Distilleries of Scotland where we have tried to provide a complete list of Scottish Distilleries. 36.5 miles, starting at Cragganmore Distillery and finishing in Buckie's town centre. "@type": "TravelAgency", "addressRegion": "", Once a thriving fishing and shipbuilding port, today Buckie is a small fishing town on the Moray cost with great scenery and wildlife. The only malt whisky trail in the world includes more than half of Scotland's malt whisky distilleries that are nestled among the rolling green hills of Speyside, but not all are open to the public. Website: www.hillwalktours.com The distillery is home to SPEY from Speyside Distillery – a luxury, high-quality single malt. Geographically, Aberlour is in the heart of Speyside and is the gateway from the west to Speyside. The most demanding section of the Way. Set in the heart of stunning Speyside, this trail takes in seven world-famous working distilleries, one historic distillery and the fascinating Speyside Cooperage. You can see the Fixed Price stages in the table below, with the additional optional stages in brackets. As well as beautiful scenery, the Spey is famed for its salmon and its distilleries. For lovers of this amber elixir, a visit to Speyside – located in the Highlands – is a must. and we can also plan your tour based on your hiking ability as we offer gentle, moderate and challenging itineraries. The destination of Aviemore is a delightful way to end the walk surrounded by beautiful scenery and an abundance of attractions for all ages. Change your preferences at Is it self supported? As one of the Moray Ways, this walk has a lot to offer. Tel: +44 (0) 1324 714132, { If you don’t require overnight stays at the start and end of the walk, simply let us know at the time of booking. "url": "https://easyways.com/", Moderate. Speyside whiskies in a nutshell Number of distilleries: 50 Oldest distillery: Strathisla (1786) Most popular distillery: Glenfiddich Flavour profile: fruity, sweet, spicy, vanilla Yes - due to COVID-19 the entirety of the race will be self supported. Manage Cookie Settings. As you make your way south-west from Buckie towards Aviemore you cannot fail to be impressed by the fantastic landscape in this whisky distilling region of North East Scotland. "@type": "GeoCoordinates", All rights reserved. Speyside whisky tours are an ideal way to explore the heart of whisky country. "addressLocality": "Falkirk", Follow a forest track to the A95 again and re-join the old railway line for some distance, past the former Cromdale Station and Cromdale Old Kirk over the metal bridge into the centre of Grantown. The region takes its name from the River Spey, the main waterway that runs through the area, which is an important asset in the production of Speyside's highly regarded whiskies. Overnight Fochabers. The Tomintoul spur offers very fine scenery and a distillery experience, but transport is needed to return to the spine of the Way. You can find out more and how best to get to and around the region by visiting the Moray Speyside Tourism website and find more great things to do in the area by browsing these 12 top things to do in Moray Speyside. "geo": { It is housed in the Old Station Building in the town. All the mapping you need to complete Scotland's 66-mile (106km) Speyside Way, an official Scottish Long Distance Route which follows the River Spey through northern Scotland from Aviemore to the old port of Buckie on the Moray coast. We offer multiple holiday options along this trail. "postalCode": "FK2 0NZ" They … The stunning Bow Fiddle Rock can be seen near Portknockie to the north east of Buckie with sandy beaches and spectacular long walks along the coast. Cookies are required to view this content. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.