Cambus o’May

Classic Deeside scenery of pine, heather and blaeberry

Visit this Deeside treasure again and again. Come here in summer for endless darting dragonflies on the lochans and in winter for snow-clad views of the surrounding mountains.

The woodland here is classic Scots pine with a carpet of heather and blaeberry - ideal habitat for capercaillie and black grouse. You may not see these shy and sensitive birds, but they are easily disturbed, so please keep your dogs close to you.

Walking trails

Cambus o'May route card (PDF)

Walking

Lochside Trail (diverted)

A short loop around the west lochan, where you may see damselflies and dragonflies dancing over the water.

Firm but uneven gravel surface. Some short steep slopes with single uneven rock steps. Parts may be slightly grassy or muddy.

½ miles / 1.0 km

Allow ¼ hour

More information

At the start of this trail you’ll be walking along an esker – a ridge left behind by a huge glacier – with great views south into the Dee valley. On a fine day you'll see Lochnagar in the distance.

Walking

Two Lochans Trail

Wander beneath majestic Douglas firs to reach a pair of picture-perfect lochans nestled amid the pines.

Uneven gravel surface with some slightly grassy and muddy parts. Some steep slopes with one flight of wooden steps. Includes three bridges.

1 ½ miles / 2.5 km

Allow 1 hour

More information

Both the lochans along this trail are legacies from the Ice Age: they sit in shallow saucers left behind by huge lumps of ice that broke off from the glaciers flowing from the centre of the Cairngorms.

You’ll pass an old quarry too. Stone from here was used for buildings in Ballater as the village grew after Queen Victoria made Deeside fashionable.

Walking

Pine Tree Trail

A longer tour through the tranquil pine forest, which is home to red squirrels, capercaillie and black grouse.

Uneven gravel surface with some rocky and muddy parts. Some steep slopes. Includes three bridges and some exposed tree roots.

2 ¾ miles / 4.3 km

Allow 1 ½ hours

Activities

Explore further

For a longer outing on foot or mountain bike, there’s a great route that visits Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve, just over the hill from Cambus o’May. Take the forest road north east from the furthest point on the Pine Tree Trail and it will lead you straight onto the reserve. While you’re there, don’t miss the Burn o'Vat, a spectacular pothole in the granite. Return to Cambus o’May along the Deeside Way, a traffic-free route along an old railway line.

Facilities and access

Parking (charge)

Picnic area

Viewpoint

Walking

Stay the Night

There nearest public toilets are in Ballater and Aboyne. You’ll find a range of places to eat in Dinnet, Ballater and Aboyne.

Cambus o’May is an important site for ground nesting birds like capercaillie. Please keep your dog under very close control – either at heel or on a lead – to help protect them.

Car parking information

The charges to park at this forest car park are:

• £1 for up to 1 hour - all vehicles
• £2 for up to 3 hours - car (up to 7 seats)
• £3 for all day - car (up to 7 seats)
• £10 for all day - coach and minibus
• Blue badge holders park free. Please display your Blue Badge clearly.

Payment can be made using RingGo.

Please park with care and consideration. In particular, please park in designated parking areas only and do not block entrances or gates. Nearby car parks with free parking can be found in our Forest Search, marked as a 'P' without the £ symbol.

Annual parking pass available:

Available in advance by downloading the application form and emailing to the Regional Office. Please read our Annual Pass terms and conditions (PDF) before applying.

More parking info

Stay the Night

Stay the Night continues to run now through to 31 December 2024. This means self-contained motorhomes and campervans will be able to park overnight for one night in some of our car parks.

There is a £7 charge to Stay the Night at this car park. Payment can be made through RingGo with details of how to do this at the car park.

To help plan your stay, please see the details below:

• Height barrier – No
• Motorhome capacity of car park – 4
• Suitable for large vehicles/caravans – No
• Parking notes – Relatively steep access into car park, which can be uneven. Park in specified area, first left bay at top of the hill.

Please visit our Stay the Night page for full details, participating locations, best practice, and terms and conditions of use.

Stay the Night

Getting here

The entrance and car park for Cambus O'May is easy to spot on the north side of the A93 between Ballater and Dinnet.

Using SatNav?

AB35 5SD is the nearest postcode.

By bus

Buses between Aberdeen and Ballater stop at the entrance to Cambus o'May. Plan your journey at Traveline Scotland.

Get directions