Caingorm Hotel to Loch an Eilien

Dogs Unknown

Features Historical Significance · Lake

Lovely course starting from the Aviemore train station, just across the street from the Cairngorm hotel. Follow a paved path to the Beaver trailhead, and then take a lovely loop around Loch an Eilien with generally flat, well-maintained, non-technical trails.

There are restrooms in the building next to the Rothiemurchus gift shop. Also parking lots at Rothiemurchus if you just want to cut out the first mile on paved paths.

Most of the path is smooth going, there may be a few boggy parts on the Loch an Eilien portion depending on season/rain. You could do this in road shoes if you did not pack trail shoes!

Start off at the Aviemore train station (or across the street at the Cairngorm hotel. Head south on the footpath past the gas station, then veer left along the paved footpath under an underpass, past the Aviemore bunkhouse and across a bridge following the bike route.

After a short section through a forest, you'll rejoin the road for a bit. Just past the Rothiemurchus gift shop (on your left) you'll turn right onto a dirt footpath and follow that until you see a trail marker for the Beaver trailhead. Follow this through purple-heather covered grasses and forests, and you'll pop out onto a road.

Continue following signs for Beaver trail and Loch an Eilien. You'll come to a parking lot for the Loch trail, take the right fork of the circle around Loch an Eilien and continue on the path around the Loch, past even more purple heather covered forest floors. You'll exit the Loch an Eilien loop and continue back on the road until you see a private road (no car access) to the right. Take that path up a gradual hill, and keep an eye for an entrance back onto the Beaver trail on your left.

Follow the trail until you meet back up where you started and turn right to exit the trail back to the bike path and take the same route home.

Keep a eye out for Beaver, and hopefully the purple heather will be in bloom.