Culardoch and Creag an Dail Bheag from Tomintoul

Looking down The River Avon towards Linn of Avon

Tomintoul is one of the highest villages in the UK and is on the A939 halfway between Ballater and Grantown-on-Spey. In the village, on the main street and near its southern end, a Right-of-way sign points to Dalestie. Drive up this road, then rough track to a car-park with information board. Ahead a delightful cycle awaits.

Bridge over the Builg Burn with lower slopes of Ben Avon ahead

On bike, cycle south on the rough track. The track meets up with the tarred road coming from Delavorar Farm, then continues down to the estate houses at Birchfield , where there are locked gates - there is a walkers gate to the side of the main gate.

The road stays tarred for around 6km, passing the sad ruin at Dalestie .

Beyond the ruin at Dalesie the road loses its tarred surface and reverts to a fine smooth track and is followed down past Inchrory Lodge and to the Linn of Avon, where a bridge over the Builg Burn is met.

Culardoch from the path east of Loch Builg

Don't cross the bridge over Builg Burn, instead stay on the track heading south following the river's east bank. Around 2km down from the bridge, the track crosses the burn via a ford , then climbs slightly before following the west bank of the burn southwards for another 1km before meeting another ford .

After crossing this second ford, the track disappears by some fencing and a rather soggy, worn path leads onwards to the head of Loch Builg. The path winds a way above the eastern bank of the loch, never really difficult enough to demand dismounting.

Reaching the southern end of the loch, a high deer-fence is met - there's a gate in it, beyond which a track is met and followed south-eastwards. After around 500m, the track comes to a junction - turn right (south) and free-wheel downhill to a bridge over the River Gairn.

Over the bridge and through a gate, head south-west on the track for just under 2km to a wooden lodge with a grass roof aside a junction in the track .

The track up Culardoch

Now at the base of Culardoch, the first significant climb of the day is ahead - just over 200m over a distance of 2km ! This is on track and cycleable if you've got strong uphill legs and good stamina (or are on an e-bike) ! If you don't, then probably best to leave your bike by the lodge.

After cycling or walking up the track, you are led to a sharp turn at a height of 730m - if you've cycled to this point, leave your bike here !

Now on foot, a faint path can be traced heading eastwards through stunted heather up the final climb on Culardoch - a mere ascent of 170m in just under 1km ! Culardoch's broad summit has a trig point sitting on the highest point, from where views are vast and quite splendid !

The eastern cairn on Carn Liath

From Culardoch's summit, return to the junction . If you brought your bike to this point, you now face a dilemma: freewheel down only to have to cycle back up later, or leave your bike here and continue on foot.

From the junction, head generally southwest and descend towards Bealach Dearg . Just before reaching the bealach, you'll notice a faint path heading slightly uphill westwards. Leave the track here and start up this path.

Initially through thick heather, followed by stunted heather, grass, and then patches of boulderfield, the eastern side of Carn Liath's long and muddled crest is reached.

There are three summits on this hill. The first encountered is the most easterly, marked by a small cairn of stones. Not far beyond this cairn, a dyke running north-south can be seen on the centre summit of Carn Liath , with a couple of cairns marking the tops around 500m apart. The northern and higher of these two cairns currently has a spot height of 861m.

The middle and western tops of Culardoch both previously had a spot height of 862m. After recent re-measurement, the highest point is now shown as the westerly cairn and with a spot height of 863m.

To reach the westerly cairn involves a short descent to a bealach, followed by a gentle rise and a walk along easy tundra over a broad plateau. This summit seems to have adopted the name of Creag an Dail Bheag, which more likely belongs more to the rocky crag at the western foot of the hill.

On such a broad plateau, the views from this small cairn are dominated to the north and west by the slopes of Ben Avon.

Culardoch from the climb up Carn Liath

From Creag an Dail Bheag's small cairn, about turn and retrace your steps toward the bealach . To the north of the bealach a distinct path can be seen making a way north-east, contouring around Carn Liath and out of view. This looks as if it could be an alternative route that avoids a re-ascent up Carn Liath and therefore steers clear of the patches of boulderfield on its crests.

And yes, it does, but at the point the path turns out of view, it disappears abruptly and thick heather needs traversing therafter until deer-trods can be picked up to return to Bealach Dearg - very rough going indeed !

No, best to re-trace your route back along Carn Liath's crest and descend to Bealach Dearg directly.

From the bealach, it's a short climb up 70m back up the western slope of Culardoch to meet up with your bike again. A fun downhill blast is enjoyed down to River Gairn from where a return past Loch Builg and through Strath Avon takes you back to Tomintoul.