The Balmoral Cairns loop from Crathie — Cairngorms National Park
The Balmoral Cairns loop from Crathie — Cairngorms National Park
4.7
(113)
709
hikers
The Balmoral Cairns loop from Crathie — Cairngorms National Park
02:53
10.0km
240m
Hiking
Embark on a moderate hike through the Balmoral Cairns loop from Crathie, a 6.2-mile (10.0 km) route that takes approximately 2 hours and 53 minutes to complete, with an elevation gain of 788 feet (240 metres). You will wander through atmospheric forests and across varied woodland terrain, enjoying both stone…
Last updated: April 23, 2026
Tips
Your route passes through a protected area
Please check local regulations for:
Waypoints
Start point
Parking
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2.23 km
Princess Beatrice's Cairn
Highlight • Viewpoint
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2.96 km
Prince Albert's Cairn (Balmoral Pyramid)
Highlight • Viewpoint
is impressive enough by itself, but the wooded
hills around it are dotted with spectacular cairns.
Most were established by Queen Victoria and …
Tip by
5.39 km
Princess Alice's Cairn
Highlight • Viewpoint
Tip by
6.43 km
Prince Arthur Memorial Cairn
Highlight • Structure
Tip by
6.73 km
View of Balmoral Castle from Prince Leopold’s Cairn
Highlight • Castle
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6.98 km
Purchase Cairn (Balmoral Estate)
Highlight • Viewpoint
Tip by
7.19 km
Princess Louise's Cairn
Highlight • Structure
Princess Louise was the sixth child and forth daughter of Queen Victoria.
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7.76 km
Princess Helena's Cairn
Highlight • Forest
Tip by
8.78 km
Statue of John Brown
Highlight • Monument
Tip by
10.0 km
End point
Parking
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
7.00 km
1.80 km
900 m
332 m
Surfaces
7.57 km
1.44 km
1.01 km
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Elevation
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Weather
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Saturday 30 May
14°C
8°C
70 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 18.0 km/h
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This route was planned by komoot.
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Trail Reviews
Beautiful, idyllic tour with a great view. At the beginning it goes uphill for a while with a good gradient. Then through the beautiful nature. Also suitable for beginners.
Start and finish at Crathie car park (by Balmoral castle). £5 charge for all day parking (2021).
Revisited the Balmoral Cairns walk today with a colleague. An interesting walk with the large pyramid shaped Prince Albert Cairn being a particular highlight. We started around 10am and hardly met anyone else until the end. Stopped at The Highlanders Bakehouse for lunch. This is a 2 minute walk from the Crathie car park. Amazing baked goods and good coffee.
After the obligatory visit to the distillery, with a bit of trickery without a ticket, we went around Balmoral Castle past all the memorials of past princes and princesses ... When we then seriously in the middle of the forest - almost on Balmoral`s back exit - Queen Camilla stressed out AT THE WHEEL ! a Range Rover with security on the passenger seat we had to laugh. There must be some preparations going on...