Burn o' Vat
A giant pothole in the Dinnet Moor nature reserve, carved by glacial meltwater. Visitors squeeze through a boulder at the stream mouth into a round stone cave, and it is very popular with families.
The Burn o' Vat lies about 9 km east of Ballater, in the Dinnet Moor National Nature Reserve. It is a huge pothole, about 20 meters across with steep walls, carved by meltwater at the end of the Ice Age, which swirled gravel and scoured the rock. From the visitor center, the walk along the stream takes about 10 minutes. To enter, you must step across stones in the stream and squeeze through a narrow opening. Inside, a waterfall falls from the rock wall. Legend says a 17th-century fugitive once hid here. The reserve also has a loop trail around Loch Kinord and Loch Davan, where you can see heather moorland and migrating birds. The car park charges a fee. The entrance requires wading, so wear waterproof shoes, and do not go in after rain when the water is deep.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Cambus o' May Suspension Bridge
- Glen Tanar
- Ballater
- Royal Lochnagar Distillery
- Loch Muick
- Crathie Kirk
- Balmoral Castle
- Corgarff Castle