Upper Dee Valley

The upper Dee valley is magnificent, the great river winding on a very flat bottom, which is initially littered with the remains of old crofts, some at least vestiges of the often tragic highland clearances, before turning up into the high Cairngorms and gradually narrowing.  

The glen is dotted lower down with the remains of the ancient Caledonian forest. The hillsides are (of course) clothed in trademark heather. High above are moorland, peaks, beetling crags and purple hillsides.

 The central Cairngorm NP is a huge, roadless, protected area teeming with precious wildlife and rare and delicate plants. Wildlife includes eagles, ptarmigan, deer and mountain hares.

The track starts from the roadhead at Linn of Dee, and is immediately delightful, winding through ravishing open Caledonian forest. It soon emerges into the wide, gorgeous upper glen.

A little above the junction with the Geldie Burn, where you turn off for Glen Feshie (see above), is the lovely low Chest of Dee waterfall. Further on is a longish and at times boggy stretch, then Glen Dee becomes a truly wild, romantic place, below the high peaks and sheer cliffs of the high Cairngorms. Increasingly magnificent as the glen approaches the great crags of The Devil’s Point, Cairn Toul and the Ben Macdui/Carn a’Mhaim ridge, eventually narrowing to the north into the famous Lairig Ghru pass, with Braeriach to its left.

Stay in or camp near the Corrour Bothy, or wild camp, and tackle a Cairngorm peak or tramp north through the Lairig Ghru the next day.

You can circle round into upper Glen Lui, which is, if it is possible, even more beautiful than what you have seen so far.

This is a remoteish walk in mountains, with always unpredictable weather. Come prepared.

The Cairngorms: Walks, Trails and Scrambles – Cicerone. As usual, a brilliantly researched book covering 102 fantastic walks of all shapes and sizes, including several on Ben Macdui.

Find relevant books on Amazon.

SEE OUR CAIRNGORMS PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION (INCLUDING PRACTICALITIES) ON AND OTHER GREAT WALKS IN THE AREA.