Sponsored Walk 2019

We would like to thank all the walkers who took part in our 2019 Sponsored Walk and helped to raise valuable funds for the Team, we hope you all had an enjoyable day.

Thanks also go to the Glen Muick and Glen Tanar estates for making us so welcome, the marshalls and refreshment tent helpers and to Alan Duffus from Sinclairs of Rhynie, who once again provided us with 'fine pieces' for the end of the walk.

This year’s sponsored walk, was our forty-ninth, and was an ‘end to end’ walk starting at Ballater and finishing at Glen Tanar. We decided to move from our traditional first Saturday in June to the week following, because of the clash with the Kiltwalk and Taste of Grampian.

This year we broke new ground in that we took walkers across a section of the Glen Muick Estate that we have not previously visited, in what turned out to be an interesting and unusual “end to end” walk. The walk started in Ballater and then crossed the Dee and on to the new footpath that runs alongside the B976 to the Glen Muick Bridge. From there the route climbed up past Balintober to the shoulder of Craig Vallich. As walkers climbed out of the valley the view behind was across the Dee Valley and west to the Coyles of Muick and Lochnagar; even for those who are familiar with this part of Deeside this gave an unusual perspective on these familiar hills. From the high point on Craig Vallich there were 360-degree views of the Cairngorms and the hills of lower Deeside. Definitely a spot to stop and take on some refreshment and just wonder at the amazing scenery of this part of the world.

From there the route took the old Mounth Road path across to Lach an Gualainn. As walkers traversed this path view were revealed of Mount Keen and the hills on the south side of Glen Tanar. The stalkers track lead down into Glen Tanar and then across the Water of Tanar. Here we connected with a section of the route that we have used previously skirting Red Craig, Black Craig and Clachan Yell before dropping down through the wonderful Forest of Glen Tanar. The walk then followed the track on the south side of the Water of Tanar to the Visitor Centre at the Bridge of Tanar where refreshments will await.