Around Ballater Golf Course

A gentle, short walk suitable for almost all walkers and with nice views of the River Dee.

Starting point: Dundarroch Road, 250 metres from Ballater village centre

Distance: short, 2 miles 

Climb: none

Difficulty: easy
Underfoot: good wide paths
Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes
Scenic value: 4/10
Overall rating: 4/10 

Comments: This is a walk for all the family, however due to flooding damage a few years ago the second half of the route is more uneven and probably not suitable for anyone unsteady on their feet. The walk is along the river for the most part with views across of it but be warned - part of the route takes you along the side of the golf course, so - just as when playing golf - you must look-out for wayward drives from golfers. Please be considerate of golfers and pass quietly if they are playing nearby.

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Route

The beginning of this walk is the same as the beginning of the walk along the old railway line to the Bridge of Gairn. My route starts at Dundarroch Road, off Invercauld Road and a short distance from the village centre. However for real lazy-bones there is a car-park about a quarter of the way along the walk, marked on the Google map above, which you can drive to. 

Dundarroch Road

At the end the road narrows into a footpath between two stone posts. Continue along it. 

Continue along the footpath at the end of Dundarroch Road

The footpath emerges onto Old Line Road. This is the proposed route of the railway line west of Ballater although despite a route being chosen and prepared, no trains ever ran west of the village. Continue straight ahead along Old Line Road. 

The road forks. Take the left fork down to the river and the car-park in front of it.

Take the left fork.

You'll come to a car-park. Picnic tables around it have a view of the river. A footpath leads from the far end of the car-park to the edge of the river and turns left along it (pictured). Take this footpath.

Take the footpath at the far end of the car-park and turn left.

Follow the footpath along the river. After a short distance you'll come to a metal gate. The next part of the footpath leads along the side of Ballater golf course. As I said at the beginning be a bit careful here. Don't stray onto the golf-course.  

Beyond the metal gate the path runs alongside the golf course.

One short part of the path leads alongside one of the holes. At this point look out for people driving on the tee. If one of them hooks their shot severely it is possible the ball will come over the path - but it's very rare.

Although you're at the base of the valley the views are still great. Across the river you can see the peaks of Carn a Bheataidh, Creag Liath, Tom an Lagian and Creag Phiobaidh.

Now the path veers right away from the golf course. 

The path veers right away from the golf course.

You'll see many fallen trees on the left side of the path, washed there by the floods several years back. 

The path passes a stony gully on the right. 

The path continues past a stony gully on the right. This of course is the old river bed before it moved to its current course. The path then re-joins the side of the golf course. 

Look out for people teeing-off as the path passes close by the golf course again.

Now comes a trickier part, where there has been a bit of flood damage. The path comes raised on an embankment, at the end of it there is a slope down to the left. Go down the slope, taking care. 

The path continues onto a raised embankment.

At the end of the embankment go down the slope to the left. 

To the right, there is a narrow footpath through the grass, follow the footpath 

Take the footpath through the grass. 

After a few twits and turns the footpath reaches an area of denser undergrowth on both sides and trees on the right. Keep going.

After a while you come to denser undergrowth on both sides.

You will pass close to the golf course again. As before, please be quiet if peole are trying to play their shots. 

You'll pass close to the golf course for the final time. 

A short distance later there is a slope down to an opening in the trees on the right. Beyond that is a pebble 'beach' and an area suitable for paddling on a sunny day.

A slope on the right leads down to a paddling area.

The path reaches a caravan site. You can turn sharp left which leads up to the Ballater golf club-house, the tennis courts and the bowling green. However, I would suggest continuing straight on, across the caravan site. If you do that you'll pass a children's play area on your right. 

Go straight on, through the caravan site. 

On the other side of the camp-site those with prams may want to follow the road round to the left which leads back into the village centre along pavements, however, for everyone else, I'd suggest going straight on through the metal gate to the river. 

Unless you've got a pram or similar, I'd suggest going straight on.

You'll cross a grassy area and pass some lovely old Ballater houses. After that, I'd advise taking the road on your left, which is Dee Street. That leads back towards the village. 

The alternative is to go straight ahead here but this area has been quite badly eroded in the floods so I don't advise it. 

I'd advise then turning left up Dee Street. 

Take the first right on Dee Street and it will take you to the village high street. 

Go up Dee Street, then take the first right. 

Congratulations! You've completed the walk around Ballater Golf Course.