The Speyside Way (Rucksack Reader) [Paperback]

The Speyside Way captures the spirit of Scotland, running from the fishing port of Buckie, 50 miles east of Inverness, along the lovely valley of the River Spey, to the foothills of the Cairngorm mountains. Walk up to 84 miles (135 km) through countryside rich in wildlife, malt whisky and tradition. This book contains all you need to plan and enjoy your holiday: drop-down map showing the whole route and its two 'spurs'; in full colour, with over 45 photographs; the Way in sections, with summaries of distance, terrain and where to find food and drink; concise background on the River Spey and its wildlife; information about visitor attractions and hills to climb (Munros, Corbetts and Grahams); planning information for travel by car, train, bus or plane; waterproof paper throughout.

Jim Strachan is the Route Manager of the Speyside Way: his detailed step-by-step knowledge, combined with his excellent photographs, make this, the first guidebook on this route, both authoritative and attractive.

Jacquetta Megarry is an enthusiastic walker turned publisher. She devised the Rucksack Reader format to suit the needs of hikers. Jim Strachan is a farmer, Countryside Ranger and Route Manager of the Speyside Way. His leisure interests include walking, climbing and photography, and he provided many of the photographs in this book.

From Part 1: The Speyside Way is a long-distance walk that captures the spirit of Scotland, running from the coast at Buckie, through the heart of malt whisky country, gently toward the foothills of the Cairngorms. Mostly you walk in the valley of the fast-flowing River Spey, Scotland¹s second-longest river and probably its most attractive. This is a special area of conservation and a haven for wildlife and threatened species.