When we visited the Cairngorms at the start of July, I’d worried beforehand that it would be too hot for us to get out for long walks with the dogs. Given that this was the Scottish Highlands, I quickly realised that my weather forecasting had been extremely over-optimistic, and while we completely missed the heatwave ramping up elsewhere, we did get a day which was a total write off in terms of rain in the Cairngorms! With heavy downpours forecast everywhere in the national park we spent an evening looking for somewhere further afield, where we could go for at least a quick stroll without getting soaked. Moray is a bit of a micro-climate and frequently the weather there is better than the weather in the Cairngorms, and being a short drive away, it’s a good back up option for a rainy day.
After much trawling through the Walkhighlands website (sometimes there is almost too much choice!) I picked the Randolph’s Leap walk which is part of the Logie Steading Estate. Logie Steading itself is a charming visitor attraction, with a second hand book store, visitor information centre and a great cafe – we stopped here after our walk for lunch which was excellent, and I also had a hot chocolate to warm up as it definitely didn’t feel like July temperatures!
There are a few different trails to choose from, or walk a section of the Dava Way which stretches from Forres to Grantown-on-Spey, but we stuck to the Randolph’s Leap walk which is roughly the same as the Walkhighlands route. The linear route takes you to the point where the rocky banks of the river Findhorn are closest, and supposedly the spot where a few members of an enemy host fleeing from Thomas Randolph leapt across the river to safety after their attack went awry. The information boards along the path are a great way to learn some local history, and also let you know what wildlife to look out for: in particular I was excited to see that there are ospreys in the area, but sadly they were obviously hiding from the inclement weather.
This was a cracking short walk, perfect for a drizzly morning where we knew we’d only have about an hour before the heavens opened. The route is linear, and very easy to navigate as you follow the river pretty much all the way. While some river walks can be a little dull, this one certainly is not, with fantastic rock formations and verdant woodlands bursting with life. It was unbelievably green when we visited in summer, but as we creep towards autumn I expect it would be even more beautiful once the leaves start to turn.
Another thing which cranks up the adventure vibes on this walk is the slightly precipitous-in-places path. While there’s no difficult ascent or descent, and the path is generally good and well surfaced, there are sections where you’re walking with a steep earth bank on one side and a sheer drop down into the gorge on the other. There’s no reason to worry as the footing is excellent throughout, just remember to not look down if you don’t like heights!
Dog friendly rating – 3/5. This walk uses narrow river side paths, and leads are best kept on due to the steep drops. However, there are no stiles to navigate, no livestock and the river is accessible in places for dogs to have a splash and a drink. While dogs aren’t permitted in the cafe, there is an outdoor area with tables where dog owners are able to sit and eat.
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