Moray Way, Grantown-on-Spey to Dava - Day 1
Distance 14.5km Climb 125m
Sunday 25th May 2014
Following our Hadrian Wall Path walk last year, I had looked at what walk would we do this year. Everyone was keen to do the Great Glen Way, then my friend Ron suggested the Moray Way as an alternative, possibly a more interesting walk to do. My daughter ordered the Walkers (Shortbread) map and gave it to me for Fathers Day. The Moray Way is three walks joined together to make one large circular walk, which would be ideal as we could stay in one camp site and not waste time packing and moving on. I researched the route of the walk, looking at places we could stop for something to eat. I also checked out our route to Grantown-on-Spey, which would be the start of our walk. As always the walk would depend on Susan, as Susan was doing the picking up and dropping off and this would be crucial to the success of the walk.
To rush ahead with the story The Moray Way was agreed and I found the Grantown-on-Spey Caravan Park would be potentially a good place to use as our camp site base. I drove up and we booked a site for a couple of nights, pitching the tent and as it was still light we decided to get a few miles in and made a start on The Moray Way.
The start was a little down the road from the campsite so it was a great place to camp. We walked under the old railway bridge and saw a sign that took us through a gate to the right. This was where we went wrong a little. Through the gate there were three paths, I choice the middle path that took us up hill, in reflection we should have just took the path up onto the old railway line. After all we were at the start of the Dava Way, which follows the railway line! In our excitement we just raced off, the path we had taken, took us up the side of the hill and too far to the west. Even so the views were stunning.
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| Which way? are we lost? |
It took us a little time wandering around before we dropped back down to the disused railway line. Never mind I was enjoying it.
We rejoined the route just before Lady Catherine's Lodge, and continued north. There were lots of interesting signs on the Dava Way. The sign at Lady Catherine's Lodge shows apparently they had a little trouble getting her coffin into the lodge, after she had died.
We continued on The Way and passed this horse with a zebra cover, I could not resist taking its photo.
For part of The Way although along the old railway line it runs very close to the road. One of the features here was a place called Huntly's Cave, David and I went to have a look down a steep drop, Anne continued on The Way. If we had time it would have been good to go and have a look but David and Anne wanted to get on.
Although the weather was good when we started, it soon changed and it was soon raining, quite heavy. We passed this heavily armed unhappy looking gentleman. It is all part of the history of the area.
We then passed the Dava Summit 320m. This was not really a climb as such as the line was just a steady rise that you did not notice.
We continued north, and it was along here we scared a couple of young deer who had been sheltering next to the fence. We also saw a batch of young grouse running scared on the track.
This part of The Moray Way, is also known as The Dava Way, was well measured, as you would expect from a railway line. The distances were exact and we could measure our timing to the stops almost to the minute. This would change as we moved along The Way.
We arrived at Dava, where we had arranged to meet up with Susan. From the sign we turned left and took the track down hill to the main road. It only took a few minutes to return to the Grantown-on-Spey Caravan Park. What a brilliant place, it was a perfect locality, we had tea at the local bar where they allowed us to take in our chips. Mmum mmum.
We had walked for approx. 3.5 hrs and covered approx. 14.5km with 125m climb.
More to follow
Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.
If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The Moray Way or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.
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