Packing in as much as he possibly can into the final third of the 131-mile Speyside Way walk, Iain Robertson celebrates the river’s whisky tradition, fairy walks and even one of his favourite Scottish landmarks.
Heading out of Ballindalloch, Iain is joined by musician Paul Anderson, who teases Iain with the promise of a tune on the fiddle if he manages the extra few miles past Aberlour to Craigellachie Bridge. Paul explains that the River Spey is the fastest flowing river in the British Isles despite its deceptively gentle look. As they head across bouncy bridges and past the smell of the whisky mash, they take the decision to push on to Craigellachie bridge, where Paul treats Iain to a tune dedicated to the brig.
The next day sees Iain stunned and cheered as he unexpectedly catches a glimpse of the sea. From his vantage point, he watches the River Spey snake its way through Morayshire and join the Moray Firth into the North Sea. Buoyed by this, he pushes forward on his adventure towards Fochabers, knowing that the next day he will be following the Spey all the way to the sea. Finally reaching the coast, Iain realises that this is a moment he will never forget as his achievement begins to sink in.
Although this may be a fitting point to end his adventure, Iain pushes on and joins the Moray Coast Trail, heading towards Cullen before eventually making it to Buckie. He enjoys another slight diversion before starting his final day with a ramble along a fairy path, spotting small fairy houses that have been erected on the path up to Craigmin Bridge.
As he returns to Buckie, he is joined by actor and playwright Joanne Gallagher for the last few miles of his journey. The walking on this stretch offers outstanding views of Scotland’s coast, but Iain is keen to push forward to enjoy some time at Bow Fiddle Rock, one of his favourite spots. Soon after, they reach the beach in Cullen, and Iain takes his shoes off to saunter the last few hundred metres of the way through the surf as he reminisces about the last 131 miles and the friends who helped make it so memorable. Show less