(S/E) Start from the public car park at Crathie (AB35 5TL).
Exit the car park onto B976. Turn left (South West) on B976 to cross the River Dee. After a short distance you will arrive at a bend in the road. Turn right to visit the Balmoral Ticket Office and gift shop. Return to B976 and turn right to continue along the road (South East).
(1) After 800 m turn right (South) onto a road signposted “Royal Lochnagar Distillery”.
Keep right at the next fork and then at a 3-way junction take the road to the left (South).
After passing several cottages, ignore a track to the left sign-posted “To Prince Albert’s Cairn” (you will come back down that way). Instead, continue ahead as the track goes through a gate and gently uphill through the forest.
(2) You will come to a crossroads 1 km along this track – turn left (South) to follow the track up a steeper hill.
(3) After 300 m, just before this path emerges out of the trees, look out for a narrower path on your left. This will lead you up to the summit of the hill Creag an Lurachain.
(4) Here you will find the pyramid-shaped Prince Albert’s Cairn. When you are ready to head back down, take the path heading South East from the pyramid.
(5) After a steep downhill section you will arrive at Princess Beatrice’s Cairn. From here the path continues downhill to pass through a gate and meet up with the road you walked along earlier.
Turn right (East) onto the road and retrace your steps 400 m back to the B976 at the “Royal Lochnagar Distillery” signpost (1)
(6) Turn right (East) onto B976 and after 100 m cross the river via the suspension bridge.
A pleasant footpath will lead you from here North onto the A93 opposite Crathie Kirk.
Turn left (West) to walk along the roadside pavement. After 190 m at Crathie Visitor Centre, turn left into the car park at Crathie (S/E)
