What are good walks in  Cairngorms? Including Lochan Uaine, Falls of Bruar, Loch Garten and Braeriach, this article looks at the Best walks in Cairngorms National Park.

Best walks in the Cairngorms National Park

The Cairngorms, or to give them their proper Gaelic name, Càrn Gorm, is a mountainous region that stretches across the northeast of Scotland's highland region.

The entire range is vast and almost completely wild, making it the ideal place for nature lovers and wilderness explorers alike. From seas of ancient heather moorland to sweeping glens, corries, plateaus, wetlands, pine forests and waterfalls, there is literally everything to see in the Cairngorms National Park.

The range of terrain also means there are routes for walkers of every skill level, from city-dwelling beginners to experienced hikers and mountaineers. Here are the most beautiful walks in the Cairngorms National Park.

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The Falls of Bruar

Starting with one of the most fantastic short walks, the Falls of Bruar is a 1.5-mile hike that reveals some incredible views. Crossing a couple of bridges, you'll find a duo of dramatic waterfalls and ominous deep-cut ravines. 

If you follow the river, you'll find yourself wandering in a fragrant forest of pine, rowan, larch and birch, all planted at the behest of Scotland's best-known poet, Robert Burns.

From the river, your path rises steeply as you emerge from the gorge in which the river runs. At the far end, you will be able to make out the higher waterfall. Towards the end of the trail, you'll find the path curving across the second stone bridge, over which is the other side of the glen, where you can take in views of Broad Cairn and the Grampian Mountains. 

Uath Lochans & Inshriach Forest

Lying southwest of the ski resort of Aviemore, this trail takes you through an ethereal and ancient series of tarns known as the Uath Lochans, or - The Lochs of Dread.

To start this tour, begin at the forestry car park in Glen Feshire, from which you'll want to follow the red markers. Once you've passed the first of the four lochans, your route rises up to the top of Farleitter Crag. From here, you can take in the unimaginable beauty of the Grampian Mountains and their blankets of ancient forests.

Carrbridge Riverside Walk

From the village of Carrbridge, you can take advantage of several beautiful walks through the surrounding forests. This is the perfect walk for bird spotters and nature lovers, with rare red squirrels, crested tits, and Scottish crossbill filling the branches above.

Some trails will also take you along the banks of the River Dulnain for some more dramatic views, while others will guide you through the Glencharrnoch woods. For a lengthier journey, try the Calderwood viewpoint hiking trail, the peak of which offers breathtaking views of the Cairngorm National Park's peaks. 

Lochan Uaine

Another easy, short walk for beginners is the Lochan Uaine (The Green Lochan). This trek takes around 30 minutes to complete, offering beautiful views of the Lochan and the surrounding pine trees.

This is the perfect trail for those who want an easy and relaxing ramble in the beautiful surroundings of the Cairngorms. If you feel like extending your walk, try the Ryvoan Bothy, where you can shelter from the temperamental Scottish climate. On the way back, you'll have fantastic views of Loch Morlich and more Cairngorm beauty. 

Mount Keen from Glen Esk Walk

The most easterly of the famous Munros, mount Keen stands at 939 metres and can be accessed via the Glen Esk Walk. This 10-mile walk takes you on a long walk up the battered hill path leading to the summit, where you can command a unique view of the dramatic moorlands of this end of the Cairngorms.

There are trickier sections to this route, such as steep climbs and river crossings, but there is plenty of history, with monarchs such as Queen Victoria had stayed close by in the largest national park in the UK. 

Sgòr Gaoith

Sgor Gaeoith, or "The Windy Peak", sits atop the craggy slopes overlooking Gleann Einich to the east. On the other side of this dramatic viewpoint is a more tranquil scene filled with grassy slopes garlanded with heather rolling down to Glen Feshie.

This walk offers a wide range of views and offers intermediate hikers a slight challenge. Just north of the trail is the Feshie landing strip for the Cairngorms Gliding Club for those adventurers who want to take to the skies and see all the Cairngorms National Park has to offer from above. 

Falls of Bruar, Perth & Kinross

To extend your trip through the Falls of Bruar, you might consider heading towards Perth and Kinross. Here the wet conditions soak the Scottish soil to the point where the earth can take no more and forces the rain back to the surface in the form of bubbling streams.

These waters flow from the vast plateaux of Blair Atholl to the south and the Atholl Deer Forest, which rolls down to Glen Bruar. 

Loch Garten, Highland

One of the lower routes in the Cairngorms takes you from the Garten Woods car park through Abernethy Forest towards Loch Garten. Surrounded by ancient Caledonian Pine forests, these boggy woodlands provide the ideal habitat for countless rare plant and animal species.

Truly the embodiment of the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands, Loch Garten, along with Loch Mallachie and Lock Muick, is one of the country's most gorgeous nature reserves, all accessible via a 2.5-mile walk. 

Loch an Eilein, Highland

Another fantastic short walk for our Cairngorm novices, Loch an Eilein, can be found a short way outside Aviemore. Found in the Rothiemurchus Estate, this short, circular walk through Scots pine forests is ideal for younger children.

A favourite among locals, too, this is a well-trodden path that's well worth taking for the sheer amount of wildlife, such as grazing deer and soaring Ospreys, you'll come across. 

Ben Macdui & Cairngorm Walk

If you want something a little more challenging, why not attempt to summit Scotland's second-highest mountain Ben Macdui at 932 metres tall? Again starting from Aviemore, this nearly 11-mile hike is definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you want truly challenging hill tracks, there's none better.

If you manage to reach the top, you'll have some of the best views of the Cairngorm Plateau and Loch Avon anywhere in the Highlands, with winding rivers like the Spey and River Dee, the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve and Derry Lodge, ancient woodlands, corries, tarns and waterfalls all laying conquered at your feet.