From the rugged mountain landscapes of the Cairngorms to the rocky headlands

and dunes of the Moray coast, walkers on the Speyside Way are offered beautiful scenery at every turn. In this exclusive extract from his new guidebook to the area, Alan Castle introduces two enticing routes

The Moray Coast Trail

THE Moray Coast Trail is a walking (and partly multi-user) route that stretches for nearly 50 miles from Forres and Findhorn Bay in the west of Moray, past Burghead, Lossiemouth, Garmouth and Spey Bay, Buckie, Findochty and Portknockie to finish at the coastal village of Cullen on the eastern edge of the Moray district. The route, opened in 2004, consists of a continuous trail of paths, tracks and minor lanes, all of which can be walked and some cycled (a mountain bike or at least an on road/off-road hybrid bicycle is the most suitable). These link the numerous coastal villages, towns, beaches, cliffs and headlands of Moray.

The trail is signposted and waymarked from Findhorn to Cullen with a distinctive logo showing a white fulmar on a blue background, a bird frequently seen in the skies and on the rocky headlands, sea stacks and skerries of this coast.

The coastal landscape of Moray is a very varied one, from huge bays and mudflats to coastal cliffs and sea stacks, from deciduous and pine woodlands to long white sandy beaches. Some of the picturesque fishing villages, such as Findochty in the east, would not be out of place on the Cornish coast.

The Moray coast is the north of Scotland’s best-kept coastal secret, far less well known than some other coastal areas of Britain, but equally as fine – locals would say that there is no better, more beautiful and varied stretch of coastline in the UK. Between Forres and Garmouth, the Moray Coast Trail (MCT) forms part of the new Moray Way walking and cycling trail, opened in 2010, a circular route that uses sections of the Speyside Way and MCT and the whole of the Dava Way. The MCT is also part of the much longer Moray Firth Trail, that stretches around the north-eastern coast of Scotland, for 470 miles from to Duncansby Head near John o’Groats to Cullen. The Moray Firth Trail is not a continuous route, but rather a network of paths around the Cromarty Firth and the Black Isle, Inverness to Nairn and to Forres, and then the Moray Coast to Cullen. It is itself part of the very much longer North Sea Trail, a coastal route of some 3100 miles (5000km) through the six European countries that border the North Sea: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and UK. Wildlife is in abundance along the rich coastal waters of the Moray Firth and is one of the major attractions of walking the coast. Dolphins, grey seals, fulmars, puffins, herons, salmon, oystercatchers and many more species may be seen from the trail. The lucky and patient may even spot otters playing and feeding in these waters.

The Moray coast is very rich in archaeological remains, particularly those of the enigmatic Picts, the farmer and hunter descendants of the native Iron Age tribes of northern Scotland who lived in the region from the first to the ninth century AD. Their language does not survive, and no written records have ever been found. But they did leave behind several Pictish forts (such as that at Burghead) and many elaborately carved standing stones.

However, the abandoned remains of much more recent times are also very evident, particularly of Second World War coastal defences. One note of caution is necessary, as the coast of northern Britain demands to be treated with respect, if a safe journey is to be enjoyed. Beware of fast-moving rising tides – it is best to check on the tide times published in local newspapers (see also www.tidetimes.org.uk). Secondly, take great care if exploring mudflats, tidal estuaries and estuarine sand bars; these can often be unstable and dangerous. Also, take care on coastal cliffs, particularly in high winds, heavy rain, wet and slippery underfoot conditions and when a thick fog blankets the coast. By keeping strictly to the paths and tracks of the MCT you will not be, under normal conditions, exposed to any untoward dangers. Gales are not uncommon on these coasts, so come prepared and retreat if necessary.

The Dava Way

The Dava Way (25 miles/40km) follows the line of a disused railway from Grantown-on-Spey to the town of Forres, a few miles south of the Moray coast. Although an easy trail to walk, in its southern half it traverses some remote and wild moorland landscape. Views of the surrounding hills, moorland and distant mountains are panoramic and extend from the Cairngorm mountains and Cromdale Hills in the south to the distant mountains of the northern Highlands in Sutherland and Caithness. You can expect to see red deer roaming the hills and moorland to either side of the line, as well as various raptors in the skies above your head.

The northern half of the route crosses more fertile country and large areas of deciduous woodland. It forms a vital link in the Moray path network, linking the Speyside Way at Grantown with the Moray Coast Trail at Forres.

The Dava Way was officially opened on September 18, 2005 as a rural multi-user route. The former railway line it follows was a section of the Highland Railway, which ran for just over 100 miles from Dunkeld in Perthshire, south of Pitlochry, to Forres, and was built in the very short space of less than two years in the 1860s. Many of the bridges and other structures associated with the railway are still standing today.

Named after the hamlet of Dava through which it passes, the Dava Way offers generally easy walking and mountain biking, mostly on a surface of compacted railway track bed, although there are occasional rough, soft and wet sections to negotiate, which are worse after heavy rain and during the winter months. As one might expect from a railway line, the amount of ascent/descent is negligible. The route is also promoted for horse riders; although relatively few of these will probably be encountered, cyclists are quite often seen. The trail is diverted away from the line of the old railway from time to time, notably at Lady Catherine’s Halt, Dava hamlet and Squirrelnuek Bridge, to avoid private property or very wet or even flooded sections of the line. Do look out for these diversions, following the description in this guidebook and the Dava Way waymarks carefully. The Squirrelnuek Bridge deviation in particular offers a very pleasant sylvan walk. Navigation along the route is fairly straightforward, and the Way is waymarked with a triangular logo, depicting a railway viaduct and a boot-print. Walking The Speyside Way describes the route of the Dava Way for walkers; there are a few short, but obligatory, clearly waymarked routes for cyclists and horse riders to ensure they avoid sensitive areas, and further information on these alternative sections can be obtained from the Dava website or from the free Dava Way leaflets available from TICs locally.

Long distance runners who are looking for a good off-road route of almost marathon length would also find the trail to their liking (a marathon race from Grantown to Forres was held on 17th September 2006 to mark the anniversary of the opening of the Dava Way the previous year).

Extracted from Walking The Speyside Way by Alan Castle (Cicerone, £16.99 http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/868/refer/herald). The pocket-sized guidebook describes the Speyside Way in 10 stages of 2-13 miles, along with extensions to the route (including the Badenoch Way) and two other trails, the Dava Way and the Moray Coast Trail, which can be linked with the Speyside Way to form a longer trek. Alongside step-by-step route description and mapping, you will find a wealth of background information, local points of interest, tips on transport and accommodation and recommendations for mountain-bikers and

riders. A handy booklet containing all

the OS 1:25,000 Explorer mapping needed to complete the Speyside Way is

located in the back cover sleeve