Dufftown – Keith

[fredrik]

Hi,

In the summer I will be walking around Dufftown, for the most part along the Speyside Way. But I would also like to walk from Dufftown to Keith. What will be the easiest way for walking from Dufftown to Keith?

Reg
Fredrik

[Jacquetta]

Good question, Fredrik
The answer ought to be along the trackbed of the former Great North of Scotland Railway, but from the fact that I can't see this in the ScotWays publication "Scottish Hill Tracks" I fear that the local council may have failed to defend the Right of Way.

Does anybody know of a walking route?

[Jamstra]

Try walking along the 'old ' trackbed, and you will be run over by a train! It's now the Keith and Dufftown Railway http://www.keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/.

Re the original query - the short answer is that there is no easy route. The longer answer is that there is a waymarked route from Dufftown to Drummuir (the Isla Way), but the bit from Drummuir to Keith is missing - as yet only marked as 'aspirational' on the core path plan.

Hope this helps.

Speyside Way Manager

[Jacquetta]

Oooops That's what comes of working from old maps!  Sorry, Fredrik, and thanks to Jamstra, who obviously has local knowledge.  And apologies to the Keith and Dufftown Railway, which is probably a great attraction for you to visit, even if you can't walk it.

[fredrik]

Thanks,

Is it this path you are thinking of:
http://www.morayways.org.uk/isla-way.asp

Has any of you tried to walk it?
It is waymarked from Dufftown to Drummuir, but will it be easy to find the way from Drummuir to Keith.

And do any of you know where I can get a map for this walk?

regards
Fredrik

[Jamstra]

I have no reason to doubt that the website you quote provides accurate information (more information than I have !).
A map is available as a .pdf download from the same page (link is near the bottom)
I personally don't know anyone who has tried walking the section from Drummuir to Keith - but watch out for trucks on the 'on road' section!

[fredrik]

Thanks for that,
We'll try the section from Drummuir to Keith. I will give feedback about what it was like.