Linn of Dee

The Linn of Dee is a popular destination for hikers, nature lovers and tourists. Before venturing off on their chosen activity, the main attraction is the falls.

The River Dee hits 300m of granite rock at the Linn of Dee, with the force of the water cutting narrow channels into the rock.

This was a favourite spot of Queen Victoria during her stays at Balmoral, you can see why. In fact it was the Queen herself that opened the bridge here in 1857.

The area once belonged to the Queens granddaughters husband, the Earl of Fife, but is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland who bought the Mar Lodge Estate in 1995. They have made the area a haven for wildlife, the environment and for lovers of the outdoors. It is the starting point of many nature trails, glen walks, mountain bike trails and Cairngorm mountain hikes.

Near the bridge you will find a large commemorative stone to Gwyn Cattenby and his fiancé Katie Todd, who accidently drowned on 16th October 1927. A stark reminder of how dangerous the gorge and the waters can be, however beautiful and romantic they may appear.

From the bridge there is the perfect view down into the dramatic granite gorge.

To fully enjoy the Linn of Dee, cross the road and the landscape changes immediately. There are grassy banks and slabs of granite to enjoy a picnic or a rest after a long hike up one of the glens or Cairngorm mountains.

Be careful not to get too close to the edge though, there is a long drop and the water travels at quite a pace. There are places slightly further up or down the river where there are clear pools to paddle in.

The beautiful pink granite gothic style bridge which was opened on 8 October 1857, replaced two previous wooden bridges.

It is uncertain when the first bridge was built, but it succumbed to the force of the 1829 Muckle Spate as did many other bridges in the area.

The second was replaced by the Earl of Fife, when the second wooden one was deemed unsubstantial and even the locals described it as 'auld and rickety'.

There is a plaque on the western side of the bridge commemorating the opening of the current bridge by Queen Victoria.

If you return to the eastern side of the bridge and take to path further down stream it becomes calm and there are some lovely places to paddle.

There is an excellent National Trust car park that serves the area, with loads of information boards, maps and trail information. To reach the falls, go back out the car park and cross the road. A path takes you down to the river, turn right at the riverbank to reach the bridge.

If you fancy a longer walk in the quieter Glen Lui, you can extend your walk to include the Glen Lui Salmon Ladder.