Abernethy Forest
This splendid forest and nature reserve in the Cairngorms has miles of good walking trails to try. This circular walk starts from the RSPB forest lodge and takes you along the woodland trails along the River Nethy. You can extend your walk further into the expansive forest and visit a series of pretty lochs and streams. The reserve is a fantastic place for wildlife with Ospreys and red squirrels to look out for.
The forest includes the beautiful Loch Garten with an Osprey Centre where you can observe the birds nesting in the Caledonian pineforest and view the birds on the live CCTV camera. It's a splendid area with the Cairngorms Mountains making a great backdrop.
Postcode
PH25 3HA - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsAbernethy Forest Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Abernethy Forest Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Abernethy Forest OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Abernethy Forest Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Pubs/Cafes
Head to the nearby Nethy House Cafe & Rooms for some post walk refreshments. The cafe offers a wide range of home baking, breakfast rolls and light lunches. There's free parking for guests and a nice decking area outside for eating or relaxing with a book, coffee or glass of wine. The cafe is also provides accommation and is dog friendly if you have your canine friend with you. You can find it at Nethy House, Nethybridge with a postcode of PH25 3EB for your sat navs.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
A few miles to the west there's more peaceful waterside walking around the beautiful clear waters of Loch Vaa. The epic a href='/routes/home.nsf/routeslinkscycle/speyside-way-walking-and-cycle-route'>Speyside Way can also be picked up near here, at Boat of Garten. If you were to follow the shared cycling and walking trail north east you could visit the nearby town of Grantown On Spey. There's riverside trails along the River Spey and peaceful woodland in Anagach Woods on the northern side of the river. The pinewoods are a good place to look out for wildlife including Capercaillie and red squirrels. To the north of the town you'll also find the peaceful Lochindorb. The loch has a good walking and cycling path running along its eastern side. From here you can enjoy views across the water to the ruins of Lochindorb Castle which sits on an island in the centre of the loch.
In nearby Nethy Bridge you can enjoy a pleasant riverside walk along the River Nethy.
To the north east is the splendid Glenlivet Estate where you can enjoy some fine walking and mountain bike trails. There's also the option to visit the famous Glenlivet Whisky Distillery here.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Cairngorms Walks page.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Abernethy Forest Pines, planted long ago growing over glacial deposits and kettlehole terrain. The gravels were deposited during the last glacial advance. While most of Abernethy is a planted forest, it is so old that it contains much of the wildlife of the original natural wood. Even in November, with much of the birdlife elsewhere, the forest is an exciting place.
Snowy scene in the forest with a track running over glacial deposits. To the left there is a drop off to the River Nethy. View south.
The forest is healthily regenerating now under RSBP management. An area of formerly open land is now returning to pine woods.
Track from Forest Lodge to Nethy Bridge.
A sandy path in the Abernethy Forest
Deep heather in Abernethy Forest