Overview
A nine day, self-guided walking holiday along the Speyside Way, considered one of the main whisky ways in Scotland, with several distilleries en route. Starting in Buckie on the Moray Firth Coast, and ending in Aviemore in the heart of Cairngorms National Park, the Speyside Way is a fine mix of Scottish natural heritage, with coast, ancient woodlands, heather-clad moorlands and former railways along the way. As well as the banks of the River Spey. Stay in small, traditional Scottish guesthouses and hotels, with no shortages of toddies after your treks.
- Moray Coast
- Aviemore and Cairngorms National Park
- River Spey
- Glenfiddich Distillery
- Glenlivet Distillery
- Ballindalloch Castle
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Buckie
Arrive in Buckie, a coastal town on the north-eastern coast of Scotland, renowned for its natural beauty and fishing heritage. The town was formed by the merging of several nearby fishing villages, with wonderful names: Nether Buckie, Easter Buckie, Yardie and Portessie. Located in the Moray region, Buckie boasts stunning views of the Moray Firth surrounded by countryside
- Accommodation: Struan House B&B or similar in Buckie
Day 2: Buckie – Fochabers | 17.7km
Begin your journey on the Speyside Way with a stroll past the historic Buckpool harbour and along the coastline leading to Portgordon. Next, follow the old railway line through wooded areas to reach the estuary of the River Spey. Continuing inland, meander through woodlands, open fields and alongside the River Spey, before ending the day in Fochabers, a small traditional village on the banks of the River Spey.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 17.7km ↑51m ↓36m
- Accommodation: The Grant Arms Hotel or similar in Fochabers
Day 3: Fochabers – Craigellachie | 20.8km
Following breakfast, begin today’s walk through farmland and woodland before hitting some tarmacked paths later in the day. Beyond Boat o’ Brig, the route become more challenging with an ascent through forested terrain, offering a vigorous yet rewarding experience. Continue on with a gradual descent before the path transitions back to lanes, leading towards tonight’s destination of Craigellachie, which has two malt whisky distilleries, Craigellachie and The Macallan, so you won’t be short of a nighttime dram.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 20.8km ↑423m ↓360m
- Accommodation: Bridge View B&B or similar in Craigellachie
Day 4: Dufftown – Glenfiddich Distillery – Craigellachie | 6.7km
You are transferred to Dufftown, allowing ample time for a visit to the renowned Glenfiddich Distillery (payable locally). Known for being the sole distillery in Scotland to utilise a single source of water across the entirety of its whisky-making procedures, Glenfiddich offers a unique insight into the craft. Following the distillery visit, stroll back to Craigellachie predominantly through woodland, following the route of the River Fiddich, after which the famous whisky is named.
- Walking for the day: 1-2h, 6.7km ↑28m ↓91m
- Accommodation: Bridge View B&B or similar in Craigellachie
Day 5: Craigellachie to Ballindalloch | 21.3km
Begin the day on the former railway track stopping to explore the town of Aberlour, where it’s worth popping into the famous Walker’s Shortbread shop for a tasty treat. Continuing along the railway route, passing several distilleries, each contributing to the region’s rich whisky heritage. End the day in Ballindalloch, home to an impressive castle and gardens which are open to the public (April-Sept, payable locally).
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 21.3km ↑170m ↓99
- Accommodation: The Delnashaugh or similar in Ballindalloch
Day 6: Ballindalloch – Grantown-on-Spey | 26.1km
After a hearty breakfast, head off on the most demanding leg of the journey, navigating paths and trails through woodlands and fields with numerous ascents and descents along the route. Traverse birch woodlands, open pastures offering vistas of heather-clad hills and Anagach Woods.
- Walking for the day: 5-6h, 26.1km ↑461m ↓398
- Accommodation: Willowbank Guesthouse or similar in Grantown-on-Spey
Day 7: Grantown-on-Spey – Boat of Garten | 17.5km
Today is a more relaxed day as you head to Nethy Bridge, walking along woodland paths, before coming to Boat of Garten. Along the way, there is the option to detour and visit the Osprey Centre at Loch Garten to learn more about the local flora and fauna.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 17.5km ↑92m ↓99m
- Accommodation: The Boat Country Inn or similar in Boat of Garten
Day 8: Boat of Garten – Aviemore | 9.4km
The last leg of your Speyside Way tour is a brief but diverse day, walking through pine and birch woodlands and across open moors, before finally arriving in Aviemore. Located in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, Aviemore is a hub for many other treks and trails. If time allows, we recommend combining today’s route with a journey on the Strathspey Railway’s steam train.
- Walking for the day: 1-2h, 9.4km ↑51m ↓52m
- Accommodation: Ravenscraig or similar in Aviemore
Day 9: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their proximity to the Speyside Way, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view our default accommodations for this trip
- Struan House B&B (Buckie)
- The Grant Arms Hotel (Fochabers)
- Bridge View B&B (Craigellachie)
- The Delnashaugh (Ballindalloch)
- Willowbank Guesthouse (Grantown-on-Spey)
- The Boat Country Inn (Boat of Garten)
- Ravenscraig (Aviemore)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. You can have dinner at the guesthouse you are staying at or at the village pubs and restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is graded as easy to moderate, with daily distance ranging from 6-26km, although daily elevation gains are not very big, some days are more challenging than others and the terrain can be varied with some rough and rugged footpaths with boggy sections at times (read more about difficulty grades). The route is well signposted throughout, however, walkers must be vigilant at all times as there are paths and junctions along the way which deviate from the main route.
The route is well signposted throughout, however, walkers must be vigilant at all times as there are paths and junctions along the way which deviate from the main route. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available to commence every day from 01 April till 30 September.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season. For detailed info, see our blog on the Best time to go to Scotland.
Getting there
Click to view travel options and route planner
By plane
Recommended airports: Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) and Inverness Airport (INV).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Scotland without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail with train stations in Keith for your starting point (20mins taxi to Buckie – payable locally) and Aviemore, on the last day. For more details, see the Trainline or use the Omio planner above.
- Arrival and departure: there are regular bus connections from Inverness and Aberdeen to Buckie and Aviemore. Please visit Stagecoach North Scotland for more information.
- Departure: train is the fastest option from Aviemore to Inverness or Aberdeen. For more information see ScotRail or use the Omio planner above.
UK Visa and entry requirements:
IMPORTANT: From 2025, the UK is implementing a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for many countries around the world. Up until 08 January, the ETA requirement only applied to nationals from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
On 08 January 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to visitors from eligible non-European countries, including Australian, Canadian and US nationals. Then, on 02 April 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to eligible European countries, referring to most of Europe.
You can view the full list of countries that this applies to here and apply for your ETA here, or on the UK ETA app. The ETA usually takes up to three working days to be processed, although we advise applying as early as possible, in advance of your travel dates. People travelling with an Irish passport don’t need an ETA.
You can read more about the UK entry requirements on our blog.
Inclusions
Included
- 8 nights accommodation
- 8 breakfasts
- Transfer from Craigellachie to Dufftown
- Door-to-door luggage transfers on all walking days (one piece per person, max 20kg)
- Access to your digital pre-departure information (accommodation list, GPS map of the route, baggage transfer information, itineraries, route information of cafes, restaurants, local bus timetables, etc.)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own.
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Extra nights available upon request
