Walking and cycling along the Dava Way

Linking Forres in Moray with Grantown-on-Spey in Highland

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The Dava Way is a 23 mile (36 km) trail across the ancient Celtic province of Morayshire that links the historic towns of Forres and Grantown-on-Spey. Almost all of the route follows the old Highland Railway line and is off road and safe from traffic. It is an unusually varied railway walk that winds its way from sea level to 1050 feet (320 metres). Along its length it passes through a pleasing mix of farmland, woodland and moorland as you journey from Strathspey to cross Dava Moor before descending to the Moray Firth. This variety makes the Dava Way path one of the best long distance walking paths or cycling routes in Scotland. It provides an important link between the Speyside Way in the south and the Moray Firth Trail to the north. This beautiful part of North East Scotland has much to offer the visitor and is still relatively undiscovered by walkers and outdoor enthusiasts. On a clear day as you cross Dava moor you are rewarded with views to the north over the shire counties of Nairn, Inverness, Moray, Ross & Cromarty, and Sutherland whilst to the south the Cromdale Hills and the Cairngorm Mountains dominate the skyline.

The route of the Dava Way will be included on forthcoming reprints of the OS Landranger maps 27 & 36. It is shown marked on the OS Explorer maps 419 & 423 which were reprinted in September 2007. Note, the route on the ground now follows the railway line from Cowgreens to Dunphail and not the minor road as marked on the new Explorer maps. (Sorry about this but the agreement to do this missed the printing deadline by a matter of weeks. Such is life!!) Our maps on the Maps pages clearly mark the correct route and these can be downloaded for printing from the Downloads page. The zoomable map of the route on the Sustrans website is also correct with the Dava Way marked in green - go there.

Keeping nature natural

The Dava Way route goes through some wonderful countryside. It is maintained entirely by volunteers. There is no system to clear or collect rubbish. Please help to keep the route clear of litter by clearing up after your picnics and taking any rubbish home with you. Thank you.

Walking the Dava Way

The surface is varied, mostly firm and good, but it can be wet and rough in places. All of it is fine for walking. At the last count there were 12 opening gates, 2 kissing gates and no stiles.

Fit walkers can complete the route in a day but most will want to break it into 2 or 3 stages as described on the Route Description pages. Both maps and descriptions of the route can be downloaded for printing from our Downloads page. There are numerous opportunities for circular walks but none are waymarked as yet.

Cycling the Dava Way

The Dava Way is a great off road cycling route. The surface is firm for most of the route but it is often rough and front suspension is definitely recommended. When cycling the route I allow about 4 hours plus time for a picnic, although it has been done in 2h 45min. This gives a pleasant day's cycling with time to enjoy the varying views that unfold around you. Keep your eyes open for wildlife, there is plenty for the observant. It does not pretend or want to be an extreme challenge, nor is it 'tarmac'. (If you are looking for mountain bike excitement you should go on to visit the Moray Monster Trails between Fochabers and Craigellachie. This is about 20 miles along the Moray coast to the East, on the slopes above the River Spey in Speyside.) The Dava Way trail is used by a local equestrian centre who hope to establish a ride across Scotland. Contact the Moray Equestrian Access Group for more advice.

Use the Dava Way trail for a walking or cycling holiday

The Dava Way trail is a great long distance path in its own right but its real strength lies in its links with other walks and cycle routes at either end, and also in the wealth of other outdoor activities available in the area. At Grantown-on-Spey the Dava Way links easily into the Speyside Way. At Forres the Dava Way links into the Moray Coast Trail with its beautiful expanses of sandy bays and rocky cliffs for walkers to explore. Forres is also on the Sustrans National Network. Both routes can take you along the Moray Coast to Spey Bay where you link with the Speyside Way. Why not enjoy a week cycling and/or walking in Morayshire and discover the delights of this area?

Moray, Morayshire or Highland?

The Dava Way lies entirely within the old province of Morayshire, which was one of the seven ancient Celtic provinces in Scotland. It was bounded on the east by the River Spey, extended south to include Grantown-on-Spey. The western boundary was similar to the current Moray one which stops at Dava settlement. The southern section of the route, including Grantown-on-Spey, lies within Highland.

Dava Way leaflet

This is a double sided A4 colour leaflet giving a general description of the route, as available in Tourist offices, etc.

Download

Dava Way colour leaflet 479kB

Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Enjoy Scotland's outdoors. Everyone has the right to be on most land and inland water for recreation, education and for going from place to place providing they act responsibly. These access rights and responsibilities are explained in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

The key things are:

When you're in the outdoors:

Download

Main points 251kB (colour leaflet)
Full code 356kB (136 pages)
Click on one of the pdf icons above to download the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Find out more about outdoor access in Scotland by visiting www.outdooraccess-scotland.com or phoning your local Scottish Natural Heritage office