This waymarked walk heads down to the shores of Loch Awe, passing the remains of a crannog, before climbing up past a waterfall through MacKenzie's Grove with its giant Douglas Fir trees.
Bog Factor
Waymarked forest paths throughout.
Cruachan forestry car park, 2.5km south of Dalavich.
None.
NM955103
Park at the Cruachan forest car park, about 2.5 km south of Dalavich village. The information board gives the length of the Tall Trees Trail as 4.8km, but the true length is just over 3.5km. It begins next to the marker post along a path parallel to the road. Soon it reaches a fork; go left here, climbing briefly. The path then begins the long descent towards Loch Awe. Continue down almost to the lochside until it meets a wide forest track. Turn right along this; watch out for cyclists as its part of the National Cycle Network.
About three hundred metres along the track a sign on the left indicates where you can detour to the shore of the loch itself. A short distance out in the water there are a few bushes sticking out of the water; this is the remains of a crannog. Crannogs were dwellings built out on lochs during the iron age, wooden structures supported by piles driven into the bed of the loch. There are hundreds of them across the Highlands.
Return to the track and continue along it. After almost a kilometre on the track look out for a signed path heading uphill through the trees on the right.
Follow this path, which is signed for MacKenzie's Grove. A short distance uphill there is a waterfall over to the left, where the stream flows through a small gorge. MacKenzie's Grove is noted for its huge trees, with the straight trunks of the Douglas Firs being particularly fine.
The path climbs through some magnificent trees to eventually meet a grassy forest track. Turn right along this, and then keep right again at the next junction. When the track approaches the road keep right once more (waymarker) onto a path rejoins the outward route - keep ahead at this point to return to the start.
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