An Lochan Uaine and Ryvoan Bothy

An Lochan Uaine, the Green Lochan, sits in a bowl of ancient Caledonian pine near Glenmore in the Cairngorms, its water coloured an extraordinary jade green by algae on the rocky bed. The 10 km circular to the lochan and on past Ryvoan Bothy follows a forestry track out of Glenmore before narrowing to a proper hill path through scattered Scots pine and juniper, with the Cairngorm plateau visible above. Ryvoan Bothy sits in a quiet pass beyond the lochan and makes a natural turning point before the return leg drops through more open ground. The 254 m of climbing is spread evenly and never steep, making this a moderate day that feels bigger than its stats suggest.

Dogs get a proper Highlands dog friendly walk here without the exposure or severity of the higher tops. The pine forest is rich with scent and the ground cover of heather, blaeberry, and moss gives varied texture underfoot. The lochan itself is shallow at its edges and most dogs will wade straight in. Off-lead potential is high throughout as livestock are largely absent from the forest and hill sections, though red deer are present and dogs with a chase instinct should stay on lead where visibility is limited. The bothy makes a good rest stop on cooler days. The paths can be muddy in lower sections through winter and spring, but the higher ground drains well on its sandy, pine-needle base.