Dunnie & Fairy Well Walk, Rothes

 

 

DISTANCE: 5 km (plus 1 km because of wrong turn – see below)

TIME: About 1.5 hours

CATEGORY: Easy (one section with steep incline)

SUMMARY:
This is a circular walk starting in the centre of Rothes, through the Glen Spey Distillery following the Rothes Burn and then turns south and climbs to a viewing platform at Linn Falls Path then before heads along a forestry road past Rothes Golf Club and down tarmac road past Rothes Castle before arriving back in the centre of Rothes by way of Spey Burn Distillery.

WALK REPORT:

I did this walk on 15th January 2012. There is plenty of car parking just round the corner from the Parish Church (in front of the Post Office)

After parking walk to High Street with Church on the left hand corner. Turn right and cross the new bridge completed in 2010 (the area under the bridge and on either side has been landscaped with chairs and picnic tables. There are also public toilets to the west of the bridge on the North Bank of the burn).

After crossing the bridge cross the road and turn left (Police Station on the corner and path sign on wall)

Walk along the road (passing some rather splendid houses on the right). You will see a sign for Rothes Castle path off to the left but keep going straight on and you will pass right through the middle of Glen Rothes Distillery

Once through the distillery you will see a footbridge on the left (again clearly marked for Dunnie & Fairy Well Walk. The path now follows the Rothes Burn. Although the ground was frozen when I did the walk I imagine it could be fairly muddy particularly after heavy rain.

Take a few moment to read the information on the board which gives brief details of the local wildlife and history of the area

Continue for 1.5 km until the path turns left into a wooded area.

The path now climbs fairly steeply through a wooded area. See if you can find the “Fairy Well” which is now covered by a manhole cover (I didn’t notice it). The spring beneath it supplies the production water for Glen Rothes Distillery (cooling water is taking from Rothes Burn)

Although fairly heavy going through the wooded area you will be well rewarded when you reach the viewing platform at the top. There is another Information Board with details of the Linn Fails (and a rather splendid rock for sitting on while you enjoy a cup of tea from your flask or a dram from you hip flask.

Carry on up the hill and when you come to forestry road turn left (I turned right by mistake and had to backtrack after 1 km)

Keep going until you reach another T-junction and again take the left spur. Rothes Golf Club will be on the left (there is a wooded bench if you want a little rest after the climb)

Pass the Rothes Golf Clubhouse and continue until you pass the remains of Rothes Castle.

The road decends past Speyburn distillery and back on to the High Street. Turn left and make your way back to the car park.