Geo-Trips :: Glen Brown Circuit
Glen Brown
A walk from White Bridge, Tue, 1 Oct 2019 by Anne Burgess
This is one of the paths waymarked by Glenlivet Estate Link
. It's easy to follow, and passes over a variety of land including the old military road, pasture, moorland, forest, woodland, and along the A939, with good views over Strath Avon and towards the Cairngorms. One of the really striking features of the route today was the vast number and variety of fungi to be observed along the way. Some sections are very muddy, notably the last mile or so before reaching the road near Bridge of Brown. We made a detour to avoid walking through a herd of cattle at Tombreck.
Click the blue circles to see a photograph taken from that spot and read further information about the location. The blue lines indicate the direction of view. There is also a slideshow of this trip. ( )
↓ Scroll down here ↓
A939 at White Bridge
The A939 runs from Ballater to Nairn via Glengain, Corgarff, Tomintoul and... more
Lower Slopes of Tom Mór
The name Tom Mór is rather unaimaginative, meaning simply 'Big Knoll'. Yes,... more
Old Military Road
For parts of its length the A939 uses the route of 18th century military roads,... more
Boggy Moorland
This flattish hollow is damp and boggy and not recommended to walking.
Old Military Road
This is one of the sections of old military road which are bypassed by modern... more
Strath Avon
A gap in the trees offers a wide expanse of view down into Strath Avon.
Fungi
There seem to be three types of fungi here; the large wine-red one, the tiny white... more
Ramshackle Gate
This gate on the old military road has seen better days! Good thing there is a... more
Misshapen Fungus
There was nothing to suggest why this toadstool has developed the curious lump on... more
Fungi
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Strathavon Lodge and Mid Fodderletter
The building on the left are Strathavon Lodge, and just right of centre is Mid... more
Fungi
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Fungi
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Fungi
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Fungus
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Lyngarrie
Lyngarrie is the rather isolated house in the centre of this view down Strath... more
Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix)
Although at its best in early summer, Cross-leaved Heath flowers into October.
Fungus
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Near Bridge of Avon
The bridge, out of sight in this view, carries the A939 across the River Avon. The... more
An Old Harrow
The piece of rusty machinery propped up against the fence is a harrow.
Fungi
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Toppled Trees
We were at a loss to know why so many trees, close to but not right on the edge of... more
Torrans
The back of an estate cottage at Torrans. The dormer has been added since... more
Allt na Cluaine
The deciduous trees mark the course of Allt na Cluaine, a minor burn that flows... more
Allt na Cluaine
A 'panoramic' view down the course of Allt na Cluaine near Torrans.
Looking towards Campdalmore
Most of this view is in square, but the farm of Campdalmore, the only one in this... more
Allt na Cluaine
You can't actually see Allt na Cluaine, but you see where it is by the trees on... more
Former Forest
The maps show forestry all the way alongside the road here. We were very happy to... more
Fungi
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Douglas Fir
Easily recognisable by its distinctive cones and the bluish colour of its needles.
Allt Cluaine
Or, to be more specific, the course of Allt Cluaine, the burn itself being hidden... more
Mossy Tree Stumps
In the foreground are the stumps of trees which once obscured this view across to... more
Into the Open
At this point the tracke emerges from dense forest and into open country with... more
The Track to Dorback Lodge
The waymarker says that it's 6 km to Dorback Lodge and 2 km to Bridge of Brown. We... more
Stronachavie
The ruins of a substantial range of buildings at Stronachavie.
Stronachavie
Substantial ruins beside the road to Dorback Lodge.
Stronachavie
One of countless abandoned farms and crofts in the marginal hill land.
Glen Brown 'Panorama'
A wide view of Glen Brown, complete with rainbow.
Rainbow over Glen Brown
The rainbow arches over the farm of Tombreck. The crags in the distance are on... more
'Panorama' of Glen Brown
My companions were kind enough to allow me to wait until the sun came out to... more
Tombreck
These two ruined farms are both on the land named Tombreck. We had intended to... more
Curr
Like all its neighbours, Curr is abandoned and its range of buildings ruinous.... more
Fungus
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Fungus
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Fungus
It's that time of year again! There were literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of... more
Ruins at Tombreck
The nearest ruins must have been fairly substantial in their day. The distant... more
Glen Brown 'Panorama'
The ruins of the farm at Tombreck are just at the far side of the foreground... more
Tombreck in Glen Brown
Tombreck is the shadow in the centre of this view. The Burn of Brown is visible beyond it.
Tombreck 'Panorama'
The 'panorama' centred on Tombreck shows how the abandoned farm sits in the middle... more
Midtown
The small house at Midtown, now abandoned, stands beside the improved lands that... more
Tombreck Ruins
This is the lower of two farms on the land named Tombreck.
Watery Path
The path here can't make up its mind whether it's a path or a burn. Fortunately it... more
Burn of Brown
Here is the lower glen the burn meanders on the flat ground. The obvious scar on... more
Burn of Brown
Meanders in the lower course of the Burn of Brown.
A Dark Tunnel
The path passes through an almost tunnel-like stand of conifers.
A Dark Tunnel
The path passes through a tunnel-like forest of conifers.
Bridge of Brown
A few houses beside the A939 at Bridge of Brown.
All images © Anne Burgess and available under a
Creative Commons licence .
