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Posted by Michael Mortimer on 5th Sep 2017
Charlestown of Aberlour
Walkers Shortbread are proud to call Speyside home. The story of Walkers started here in the Scottish Highlands in 1898, where we have remained and for over 119 years and aim to remain for many years to come.
Speyside is full of stunning scenery and we have a wonderful community of staff, suppliers and businesses surrounding our local headquarters.
Planning on taking a trip to Speyside? Let us fill you in as we talk about our area. From walks, to local distilleries, places to stay and eateries, there is something for everyone in the Spey valley.
CRAIGELLACHIE BRIDGE
The Craigellachie Bridge is a 200-year-old single arch, cast iron bridge which spans across the River Spey at Craigellachie, near to Aberlour and is the oldest cast iron bridge in Scotland.
It was designed by the famous engineer Thomas Telford and built from around 1812 to 1814. It is also no surprise that it is a Category A listed structure as it features two sets of mock-Medieval turrets, standing 15 feet high on either side of the river.
It's possible to cross the bridge on foot, but the best views are from the paths along the banks of the River Spey.
DISTILLERIES
Aberlour Distillery
Despite being a smaller community, Speyside is world famous due to the Whisky Industry and is one of the biggest exporting regions of Scotland.
Speyside is host to over half of the distilleries in Scotland with over 50 distilleries being located in the region. Our Speyside single malts are known for their elegance and complexity.
We are blessed to have many distilleries locally, including Aberlour, Macallan, Glenfiddich and Glenfarclas. The Speyside Cooperage is also on our doorstep, in the local village of Craigellachie, where barrels for the whisky industry are assembled.
Barrels outside Speyside Cooperage in Craigellachie
Why not explore a detailed map of distilleries in the area from our friends at the Spirit of Speyside.
WHERE TO STAY / EAT
The Dowans Hotel, Aberlour (Image credits: https://www.dowanshotel.com/)
Speyside has a lot to offer when it comes to accommodation, from camping to historic hotels and more.
But focusing on hotels, here is our pick of wonderful places you can stay or eat during your time in Speyside.
WALKS
Where do we begin… here are a few of our top walks in the area.
Linn of Ruthrie
Locally known as the Linn Falls, this beautiful short walk goes through the heart of Aberlour village, and takes in nice views of the double cascade waterfall. Start the walk in Aberlour by following Queen’s Road up the hill to Allachie Drive, where you start following a footpath that goes into the woods.
If you follow the stream you head towards the Aberlour Distillery, and eventually return to the village via steps.
Ben Rinnes
Many would agree that Ben Rinnes is the dominating summit of Moray and is a very popular hill walk. The views are simply stunning, taking in much of north east Scotland.
The best-loved peak near Speyside is known as a Corbett, which means it is a mountain between 2500 and 3000 feet, with at least 500 feet descent on every side.
Most people choose to climb Ben Rinnes by starting in a small car park north of the B9009 with a good walking track up.
You can also spot the Cairngorms and Ben Avon from the top of Ben Rinnes!
Speyside Way
The most popular and famous of walks in the Speyside region. The Speyside Way is one of four official long distance routes in Scotland, entailing an 80-mile waymarked path that links Buckie on the coast of Moray to Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park.
This path is frequently visited by long-distance walkers who may spend a few days doing the various stages, camping or staying at accommodation options dotted along the route.
There is a Speyside Way Visitor Centre by the banks of the River Spey in Aberlour town centre, near Victoria Bridge which you can visit for more information about the route and the various stages, including maps, walking guides and details about the flora, fauna and landscape you will pass through.
Walk Highlands have a useful website dedicated to walking in and around Speyside.
We could not ask to be in a more beautiful, unspoiled and natural location. The perfect place for baking ‘The World’s Finest Shortbread’!
To finish, why not take a flyby of our Aberlour and Elgin sites, along with footage from inside our factories below:
