Walk (096) Tomintoul-River Avon Circuit (Moray)
This walk is a very pleasant and undemanding excursion into the scenic Glen Avon countryside on the southern outskirts of Tomintoul, which, at 345 m (1,132 ft), is said to be the highest village in the Scottish Highlands. Tomintoul has an attractive central square, sitting either side of the old military road from Corgarff, in Strathdon, to Fort George, on 
the Moray Firth. The village sits on the banks of the River Avon (pronounced locally as “an”), a significant tributary of the River Spey. Glen Avon has been described as “… the most perfect glen in Scotland …”. Queen Victoria may well have agreed. A viewpoint named after her is a particularly attractive focal point on this consistently scenic walking route … 😀
John’s Facebook post: https://t.ly/pvbNM , 31st October, 2019
Walk (095) Aberlour-Braes of Allachy-Linn Falls Circular
This is a varied rural walk from the banks of the River Spey in Aberlour. Leaving the river, the route passes the old clock tower and memorial garden on the site of the Aberlour Orphanage, founded in a small cottage there in 1875. The walk then climbs onto farmland on the shoulder of the Knock of Allachy, providing splendid open views 
towards Ben Rinnes and of the surrounding Speyside countryside. The return route makes a gentle descent through the Wood of Birkenbush before following the Lour Burn to the Linn of Ruthrie Falls, a renowned local beauty spot featuring an enchanting double cascade waterfall in a woodland gorge … 😀
John’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/31RroUU , 30th October, 2019
A Wandering on Avonside …
Varied scenes walking near Tomintoul today … 😊💙
Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/34eOVAT , 26th October, 2019
Speyside Splendour …!
The mighty Spey sparkling in the autumn sun at Aberlour yesterday … 😊
Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2JEv8D5 , 26th October, 2019
Strathspey Sojourn …
Grantown glinting in the sun on day one of our travels in Strathspey … 💙
Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/3431A9Y , 24th October, 2019
Seasons …!
We couldn’t help comparing our walk around Loch Kinord yesterday with a summertime hike around its shores when the weather was warm and sunny, and Blue Damselflies darted around us. Despite the grey skies and buttoned-up walking jackets, there was ample compensation to be found in the golden Autumn colours and quiet footpaths … 😀
John’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2MEXjnc , 23rd October, 2019
Returning to Loch Kinord …
Walking at Loch Kinord yesterday. So peaceful and beautiful even on a chilly and drizzly late October day. It’s up there in my walks top 10 … 😊💙
Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/35Ycpf5 , 23rd October, 2019
Walk (094) Spey Bay-Garmouth-Kingston Return (Moray)
This is a coastal walk in a special natural environment. The route varies from beach to rural estuary, visiting three unusual little Moray villages with individual histories, along the way. Spey Bay is a unique coastal 
nature reserve with the largest shingle beach in Scotland. The fast flowing River Spey creates habitats that are constantly changing, from huge banks of shingle to windblown coastal grasslands, sleepy saltmarsh, and wet woodland … 😀
John’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2pAVQFs , 21st October, 2019
Getting to Garmouth and Kingston …
Today’s walking route necessarily took us inland in order to get from the east to west side of the River Spey estuary – but that was no hardship … 😀
John’s Facebook post: https://t.ly/qNdAD , 19th October, 2019
Speymouth’s Shingle Shore …
Walking on the shores of the Moray Firth today, it was blustery, bright, wild and wonderful … 😊💙
Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2P1ptdF , 19th October, 2019
Mirror Images at BirseMore …
Walking near Aboyne yesterday, the light was just right for catching reflections on Birsemore Loch … 😊
Alison’s Facebook post: https://t.ly/nJ8G8 , 16th October, 2019
Walk (093) Craiglich Hill (Howe of Cromar) (Aberdeenshire)
This is a fairly straightforward hill walk, with an initial ascent through open mixed woodland on the north-western shoulder of Craiglich Hill to reach heather moorland on the summit plateau where there is an old monument. The first part of the walk is close to the Queen’s View 
viewpoint. Here, the mountains of Lochnagar, Morven and Mount Keen set an exceptionally beautiful backdrop to the rolling patchwork of fields and woodlands of the Howe of Cromar. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the views as you climb and descend on this route are breath-taking … 😀
John’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2VHW3m7 , 14th October, 2019
Magnificent Mushrooms …
Walking in Breda Estate woodlands this afternoon, the perfect environment for these gorgeous guys … 💙
Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2pjPqdq , 13th October, 2019
Worth the Wait …
We’d intended climbing Craiglich Hill near Tarland last weekend but the closed in, misty, weather put us off. It was worth waiting for – the views were special from up there today … 😊💙
Alison’s Facebook post: https://t.ly/yD7Jn , 12th October, 2019
More from Craiglich Hill – shades of Autumn and magnificent Morven …😊Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2MzjGJj , 12th October, 2019
Autumn colours abound in the gardens at Crathes Castle this afternoon … 😊💙Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2VGeEiw , 11th October, 2019
More stunning ‘shrooms … 😊💙 … #couldntresist #sorrynotsorryAlison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/35dNh3L , 8th October, 2019
Today was a recce day for a potential future walk near Loch of Aboyne. It was a success – possible paths were, indeed, paths and, for the most part, accessible! There are four cygnets on the loch. Mum and dad were keen to warn us to keep our distance … 😊💙Alison’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2OuDpwv , 8th October, 2019
Walk (092) Potarch Bridge-Craigmore Circular (Aberdeenshire)
This is a very pleasant walk in the Potarch Woods to reach the tree-covered summit of Craigmore, a low hill on the southern banks of the River Dee. The woodland environment is mixed, with well spaced out pine trees sharing the space with birch, rowan and alder. An attractive feature of the walk is crossing the handsome 19thC Potarch Bridge, where there are fine views of the River Dee and the Dee Valley … 😀
[Today, we’re celebrating a wee milestone. Combining the 108 Tenerife-based walks we published between 2016 and 2018 with the 92 walks we’ve published since returning home to Scotland, means we’ve written up and published a total of 200 walking guides to date. No rest for the wicked though, as walk number 201 is already in the planning stage … 😀]
John’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2pLBI3h, 7th October, 2019
A Wet Weekend …
The sun finally broke through our rainy weekend to brighten a wee afternoon stroll at Huntly Castle, and along the River Deveron … 😎
John’s Facebook post: https://bit.ly/2VjSG4o , 6th October, 2019
Orange Is The New Black …!
It’s autumn, so it’s orange! Those Autumn showers, and misty conditions, had us changing our hill walking plan today. Instead we headed for the relative shelter of a forest trail on Deeside … 😊
Alison’s Facebook post: bit.ly/2OxnxJN , 5th October, 2019
Walk (091) Brindy Hill-Satter Hill-Knock Saul Circuit (Aberdeenshire)
This very scenic walk, on a section of the Gordon Way, ascends the eastern side of the rural pass that divides the Bennachie range from the Suie Hill range. Overall, the route is a mix of fairly open ground and conifer woodland of varying maturity, with the higher summit section 
passing through heather moorland. There are wonderful views from the ancient cairn at the summit of Knock Saul, taking in the patchwork of Aberdeenshire farmland and forests below, then on to extensive vistas of more distant hilltops … 😀
John’s Facebook post: bit.ly/2pEWNMX , 3rd October, 2019
A Walk Up Memory Lane …!
Walking the Gordon Way from Brindy to Knock Saul today, I admit the climb seemed just a wee bit tougher than the first time the Stuart boy and I did it fifteen years ago … 😁🐾💙
Alison’s Facebook post: bit.ly/2oiCoMI , 1st October, 2019
The Mack Walks 