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The Smugglers Trail
Wed, 17 June 2026 @ 10:00 - 15:00
A remote upland walk through the Braes of Glenlivet, following historic whisky smuggling routes with big skies, wild moorland, rich heritage and sweeping Highland views throughout.
This guided walk follows the Malcolm Gillespie Smugglers’ Trail through the open uplands of the Braes of Glenlivet, quickly leaving Chapeltown behind for a landscape of big skies, rolling hills and real remoteness. As the route climbs steadily away from the village, views widen, and the modern world fades, replaced by a strong sense of space and quiet that sets the tone for the journey.
Skirting the Ladder Hills, the walk enters classic whisky-smuggling country. Juniper-dotted slopes, hidden burns and steep corries provided perfect cover for illicit whisky stills, with smugglers using these discreet routes to move spirit across the hills under cover of darkness. The landscape feels unchanged, and it’s easy to imagine whisky being quietly distilled and carried out through this rugged terrain.
At the high point of the route, expansive views open across the Suie and the Gordon flats, a natural lookout once used to watch for approaching excise officers. Today, the drama comes from the wildlife and the scale of the land itself, with chances to see red deer, grouse and birds of prey, and a powerful sense of exposure and freedom in the open moorland.
The return leg crosses wide, open ground and winding burns before easing back towards Chapeltown, with fine views to the Bochel and across the Braes of Glenlivet. It’s a walk that combines wild scenery, strong whisky heritage and a feeling of stepping into a lesser-known Highland landscape, best enjoyed at a steady pace with time to absorb the views and stories along the way.