Walk
Loch an Eilein
A pinewood circuit of a loch and a ruined island castle, in Rothiemurchus, near Aviemore.
The pin is the loch. The car park is at the end of the minor road, and WalkHighlands says the charge is per person. The path around Loch an Eilein is the straightforward circuit. The extra loop of Loch Gamhna is muddier, and leaving it out shortens the day by about three quarters of an hour.
There is no bus to the start. Dalwhinnie is down the A9, not at the end of this path. The loch is its own Cairngorms day. The hill above the car park, Ord Ban, is a rough extra, for a party that fancies a scramble.
- Suits
- WalkHighlands lists about 7km and two hours if you include Loch Gamhna, with 70 metres of ascent. Skipping Gamhna avoids the mud and saves about 45 minutes. The car park charges per person.
- Town
- Aviemore
- Last checked
- 10 October 2026
- Region
- Cairngorms
Skip the map
Check with the venue before you set off.