Aberfeldy to Pitlochry

[Alba Bhoy]

Aberfeldy to Pitlochry – Sunday 21st July 2013. OS Landranger Map 52. Start 0915, finish 1230, total time 3 hrs 15 minutes. Distance 9.5 miles.
This was a nice, easy, short and pleasant stretch, along the Rob Roy Way (RRW), on which to finish 3 days walking from Callander to Pitlochry.
After a pleasant night’s stay in Aberfeldy – happy to recommend the Station House, Aberfeldy for Bed and Breakfast – it was back onto the RRW to do the 9 miles or so from Aberfeldy to Pitlochry.

Station House, my B & B in Aberfeldy

Follow the main road (the A827) NE out of Aberfeldy. At the edge of the town you’ll see Dewar’s World of Whisky on your right and on your left will be the cemetery. Just beyond the end of the cemetery you’ll see a sigh for the path (RRW) to Grandtully.
Path is nice and easy to follow, although some of the vegetation it passed through on leaving Aberfeldy could be described as Scottish ‘Jungle’ so high were the various weeds and plants!

RRW ploughs through Scottish 'Jungle' as it leaves Aberfeldy

On your left you’ll have trees, weeeds and the River Tay and to your right fields of crops and the main road, the A 827.
After a short time the path widens as it follows the route of the former railway. Walking couldn’t get much easier.

RRW soon improves as it follows the route of the old railway to Grandtully

As is typical of the RRW there are only signs where junctions with other tracks could cause confusion. If unsure and there are no RRW signs, just keep going on the main path.
The RRW eventually emerges into the car park at the campsite belonging to the Scottish Canoe Association at Grandtully. Turn left as you access the car park – no need to go into the campsite – and follow the road the 50m or so down to where it merges with the main road, the A827. Turn right and follow the pavement the short distance in to Grandtully.
The River Tay will be on your left and on your right you’ll see the Scottish Chocolate Centre. I arrived at Grandtully about 1040 so thought I’d treat myself to a coffee at the Chocolate Centre. Wish I hadn’t bothered, they charged £2.95 for a Latte, which was drinkable but nothing exceptional. And I thought coffee in Edinburgh was expensive!
By 1100 I was on the way again. Almost opposite the Scottish Chocolate Centre is the bridge over the Tay.

River Tay at Grandtully

Cross the bridge and take the first right. You’ll soon arrive at a junction with a red ‘telephone box.’ It’s not a working box but is stuffed full of leaflets advertising local tourist delights. Head to the right of the telephone box and in a few metres you’ll see a sign for the Path to Pitlochry. This path skirts the golf course as it heads uphill. The 8th and 17th tees should be on your right as you head up the hill.
Again the path is easy to follow. Goes uphill a fair way which offers nice views over Strath Tay.

View back along Strath Tay, in the direction of Aberfeldy, as the RRW approaches Fonab forest

The path soon heads towards Fonab Forest.

RRW approaches Fonab forest

RRW way is well signposted through the forest and you drop down through the forest towards Pitlochry.
As you leave the forest the only difficult thing left to do is to try and cross the A9. Why oh why is there not an underpass - or a bridge – to allow walkers and cyclists safe crossing of the A9? I waited for a gap in the traffic then sprinted across. Hopefully when the Govt. get round to upgrading the A9 an underpass will be built here to make life easier for walkers, runners and cyclists.
Once safely across the A9 follow the signs into Pitlochry town centre.

River Tummel and Faskally Dam, Pitlochry

Pitlochry has a wide range of shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, banks and accommodation plus regular train and bus connections to Edinburgh, Glasgow and the South as well as to Inverness and the North. If you need to check email etc then the Pitlochry Tourist Office has PCs you can use for a small fee. I was charged £1 For 20 minutes.
Flower Express at Pitlochry train station.

The Flower Train, Pitlochry train station.

[ballarat]

another well detailed report,are you a reporter.

lets hope not

pitlochry is a grand wee place to spend a bit time,pass thu about twice a year and always take a bit time oot