Our Walks

Queens Drive is easily reached from the Fife Arms Hotel. This walk takes you through the Creag Choinnich Woods up to Queens Drive, which was one of Queen Victoria's favourite views. The walk is mostly on good track, but there are some sections with exposed tree roots. 

3 miles, 1.5  hours*

Many of our visitors' favourite walks include this one. From Braemar, the starting point is a 10-minute drive away. It enters the Ballochbuie Forest on the Royal Balmoral Estate after crossing the historic Brig O' Dee from the car park.

After walking through remnants of the ancient Caledonian pine forest, the walk passes the well-known Honka Hut, also known as the Queen's Lunch Hut, and then continues onto a bridge built by Queen Victoria that spans the Garbh Allt Waterfalls. The majority of the walk is on good tracks. 

5 miles, 2-3 hours*

This is an alternative route to get to Queens Drive. The start is a 5-minute stroll from the Fife Arms Hotel. The walk is in the Creag Choinich woods and goes past the Cromlins with great views of Braemar Castle and the River Dee before reaching Queens Drive. The first 1/3rd of the walk can be muddy, and the path a bit overgrown, but the remainder is on a good track.

4 miles, 2 hours*

The Craig Leek circuit starts a 10-minute drive from the Fife Arms Hotel. 

A 15-minute drive away and located within the Balmoral estate, the pyramids or Cairns have attracted the attention of walkers and travellers from far and wide.

Visible from all over, the Balmoral Cairns were built in the late 19th Century from large stone blocks, creating pyramid-like structures.

6 miles, 3-4 hours*

Creag Choinnich is a beautiful hill in Braemar and it was home to the oldest recorded hill race dating back to 1064. 

The ascent of Morrone starts from the Fife Arms Hotel.

There are in excess of 30 Munros that can tackled from Braemar. 

The Morrone Birkwood is an area of Special Scientific Interest (SSI)