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suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area


Postby wopple » Mon Mar 19, 2018 6:20 pm

Hi- after some suggestions please...

Will be staying near Killin at the end of Loch Tay for a few days over Easter, and looking for a walk for my family and I which includes 10 year old son. We are London based so mostly have only walked South Downs etc and similar non-demanding routes. Looking for some suggestions in that area (a Corbett?) which is non overly long (maybe 3-4 hours or so ) but has some "excitement" by which I mean some reasonable varierty and not just long slog which is what my son complains most about! Also based upon current conditions and likely forecast where would the snow line expected to be, by the end of the month?

Thx
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Re: suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

Postby Sgurr » Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:42 pm

An entertaining short walk is the Tarmachan ridge, but if the snow is down, you maybe won't want to try it
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/meall-nan-tarmachan.shtml. It is a Munro, but you start off high. My husband did it with a US colleague who comes over once a year on business, garnished with a Munro or two, and took his eldest sun there, then aged 10. They are a very sporty family but not immense hill walkers.
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Re: suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

Postby jmarkb » Tue Mar 20, 2018 8:39 pm

Given current conditions and long range forecast, I would expect even Corbetts to still be carrying significant snow by Easter, and you may need to stay below 600m.

Some options would be:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/sron-a-chlachain.shtml
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/kenmore-hill.shtml
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/ben-aan.shtml
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=72463 (no path here, might be rougher than you'd like!)
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Re: suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

Postby scoob999 » Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:02 pm

Get yourself down to Dunkeld & Birnam for a day! Loads of great walks waterfalls and a few caves too, you might even spot a beaver :shock:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/hermitage.shtml

The Beatrix potter garden in Birnam is worth a quick visit, then walk down to the river from there to see the Birnam oak and a giant Sycamore tree next to it, Thr Beaver's are felling trees on the Island on the river tay so keep your eyes peeled...
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Re: suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

Postby jmarkb » Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:13 pm

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Re: suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

Postby Graeme D » Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:13 pm

scoob999 wrote:Get yourself down to Dunkeld & Birnam for a day! Loads of great walks waterfalls and a few caves too, you might even spot a beaver :shock:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/hermitage.shtml

The Beatrix potter garden in Birnam is worth a quick visit, then walk down to the river from there to see the Birnam oak and a giant Sycamore tree next to it, Thr Beaver's are felling trees on the Island on the river tay so keep your eyes peeled...


The only drawback with that idea is that you might bump into Scoob! :lol:
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Re: suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

Postby matt_outandabout » Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:58 pm

Ex Killin resident here.

Loads of walking in the immediate area, don't get in the car and drive an hour to Dunkeld!

Snow may be your deciding factor here, ask at the outdoor shop on high street for latest conditions.

'Easy' Munro's in area

Bheinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers - a straightforward trip, you start at serious height already from car park. Lovely view from top.
Tarmachan - brilliant day out, but steeper in places with a couple of proper scrambles, and return back through col is a trackless bog hop to the track.

Some less well know family wanders:
Sron a Chlachain ('The Cheiftans Nose') is the hill from the park in Killin with amazing views down Loch Tay. Brutally steep - but short and fun for kids. Ours did it from age 4....
Beinn Leabhann - is the hill to the East of Glen Ogle pass car park. You can follow a track all the way up to mobile phone mast, with only 500m or so of distance over rough ground to top. Again, you start high, so lovely walk up with amazing views.
Meall Odhar and Creag Garbh - are the two hills to East of Lochan Breachlaich, which is South East of Killin. You walk from village through the woods, up the old hydro road as the view suddenly opens at the dam. Lovely track around and a few hundred metres of hill path to the top of Odhar. Really nice walk ( a family favourite), with shelter and views around the dam area for picnic, and no-one gets fed up of exploring the dam area (take care, some big drops into cold water).

Lower level walks
Auchmore has some ace walks - starting at the viaduct over the river, you can walk around the stone circle, pick up some 'hidden' paths around Auchmore Burn bridge which then take you up alongside the stream all the way to the top forest path. You pass multiple waterfalls, under road bridges, through different woodlands. Bonus points if you can find the secret 'Infinity Pool' - a heart shaped swimming pool with its own 20' waterfall. shhhhh.

Head of the loch walk - great walk past Killin Castle (scene of the Black Knight from Search for the Holy Grail), along old railway, sandy beaches and more. All marked locally.

Glen Lochay is deserted, even a walk along the road above the power station is just lovely, all the way up to the end of the proper tarmac. Waterfalls, woodland, peace. Enjoy - even better as a bike ride.

Finlarig Waterfalls (and Lochay Waterfalls) are actually the older tourist attraction than the Falls of Dochart. The Lochay falls are now cut off by power station and dangerous to try and access. Finlarig (Alt Na Chruinn) are lovely - park at the holiday park cabins on the North Shore, just past the Golf Course. You can follow the paths and forest roads up the hill, until a particularly steep corner reveals stunning waterfalls, best after it has p*ss*d it down for a day...

'Oddities'
Hire a canoe and go to the islands for a proper escape - take the stove and bacon butties with you, stay deserted and explore.....

Falls of Acharn (East end of Loch Tay) - great wander around fabulous waterfalls, complete with caves. Even better, can you find the Cave of Caerbannogg from the Killer Bunny scene in Search for the Holy Grail on the way home....

Visit the now deserted village of Old Lawers - park in Lawers village at the pub, walk down the obvious track to loch shore. At loch you will find main village to the East (go over the bridge and find the graveyard) and old steamer jetty to the West. My kids loved that beach and old village. Google the Lady of Lawers for added spookyness....

*if* the mountain road is open and gritted (it may be 10' deep in snow still), then the trip over to Bridge of Balgie by car or bike is a cracking day out, loads of walks and places to explore in Glen Lyon ('the Longest, Loneliest and Loveliest Glen in Scotland")

Some pics to whet your appetite...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/albums/page3

How much more do you want!?
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Re: suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

Postby wopple » Thu Mar 22, 2018 2:51 pm

Hi all

Many thanks for the various information. Unfortunately we had a problem with accommodation booking and now have complete changed plans! Now going to be in the borders near Hawick so hoping to find something interesting to walk there.....
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Re: suggestion for walk- Perthshire/ Loch tay area

Postby jmarkb » Thu Mar 22, 2018 5:29 pm

wopple wrote:Many thanks for the various information. Unfortunately we had a problem with accommodation booking and now have complete changed plans! Now going to be in the borders near Hawick so hoping to find something interesting to walk there.....


Oops!

Eildon Hills would be ideal: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/borders/eildon-hills.shtml
Three Brethren another option: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/borders/three-brethren.shtml
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