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Aberdeenshire

Ballater And Crathie

Craigendarroch Summit – Ballater loop from Ballater

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Aberdeenshire

Ballater And Crathie

Craigendarroch Summit – Ballater loop from Ballater

Moderate

4.8

(12)

hikers

Craigendarroch Summit – Ballater loop from Ballater

03:02

9.89km

240m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 27, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Cairngorms National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

2.43 km

Craigendarroch Summit

Highlight • Viewpoint

This hill at 402m is Ballater''s local Marilyn and is a short ascent from the town centre. There is easy to follow paths around and up the hill, and the views over Ballater and towards Lochnagar are very good.

Tip by

2.98 km

View of Cairngorms National Park

Highlight • Natural Monument

No need to go to summit - the best view is from the loop

Tip by

4.75 km

Ballater Station and Royal Waiting Room

Highlight • Cafe

Recently opened and restored tea rooms. The station has been lovingly restored and you can access the very fancy royal tearoom and privy. You cannot access the royal train carriage but you can look inside the window - it’s very opulent. You can have high tea and meals inside the old station. There were a few vegan options including the overly ubiquitous, and predictable, falafel and hummus sandwich or salad. They did do a panini with vegan cheese, butternut squash and sundries tomato, which wasn’t bad. The soya latte is nice. It’s well worth a visit.

Tip by

5.01 km

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Memorial

Highlight • Monument

Ballater Mailbox - Honoring Queen Elizabeth II - 70th Jubilee

Translated by Google •

Tip by

5.03 km

St. Kentigern's Church, Ballater

Highlight • Religious Site

A beautiful church right in the middle of Ballater. The grounds and surrounding park are a popular spot in the summer to sit and enjoy an ice cream.

Tip by

5.30 km

Ballater

Highlight • Historical Site

The station of Ballater, which has been closed down since 1966, houses a museum. This shows, among other things, the waiting room of Queen Victoria, who used the train station Ballater on the journey to Balmoral Castle. Much of the station fell victim to a fire in May 2015. The museum was only partially affected. [3]
Balmoral Castle, which is still inhabited by the royal family in the summer, is about 14 km to the west and gives the area the name "Royal Deeside". Two miles south of Ballater is Birkhall, an estate that is temporarily occupied by Prince Charles.
The Blue Cairn Circle (also called Balronald Wood) is a Recumbent Stone Circle (RSC) at Ballater.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

6.20 km

River Dee

Highlight • River

Relaxing and idyllic.

Showing Translation

Tip by

6.60 km

Bridge of Muick and Riverside Path

Highlight • Bridge

Bridge of Muick

Tip by

9.89 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

2.29 km

2.18 km

1.91 km

1.55 km

1.34 km

494 m

130 m

Surfaces

3.78 km

2.48 km

1.55 km

1.22 km

437 m

424 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (380 m)

Lowest point (200 m)

Weather

Tuesday 1 September

14°C

3°C

59 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

May 6, 2022,Van Darroch Learg Hotel stukje Riverside en Craigendarroch

The round of the river with mother-in-law, together we continue the road to the top of the Craigendarroch. Nice challenge with fantastic views over the Royal Deeside

Showing Translation

April 16, 2022,No. 19 | Craigendarroch & Riverside Walk - Ballater

No. 19 of my #100komootwanders_2022 challenge. 💛

Saturday 16th April 2022

Kaspar, kiddo and I enjoyed the day in Ballater Royal Deeside.

We stretched the legs with a short hike up to the summit of Craigendarroch - the entire route had clear signage and good tracks but was definitely steep in places.
We then extended our return route to the …

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Craigendarroch Summit – Ballater loop from Ballater

Craigendarroch Summit

View of Cairngorms National Park

Ballater Station and Royal Waiting Room

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Memorial

St. Kentigern's Church, Ballater

Ballater

River Dee

Bridge of Muick and Riverside Path

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