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There is so much on offer within an hour of Dunkeld and having been on a few walks in Angus, Fife and Perthshire, we decided to walk up one of our local hills. We've already been up Birnam Hill, so this time we opted for Deuchary, having been up to the wonderful Loch Ordie numerous times in various seasons. We kept talking about 'doing' this hill, but never really got round to it until now. Definitely worth the visit for the widereaching views all round from the summit.
We parked at the small parking area at the edge of Loch of Craiglush, just to the north of Loch of the Loweson the A923 just a few miles wet of Dunkeld. From there, it's a very straightforward track used by the off-road experience group, so it's very easy going. 30 minutes later there's the Glack dog kennels – it's where this path joins the one from Cally car park (which is a slightly longer route to this point). It's a bit muddy in places here, particularly at the wee bridge, but not too bad. Through the gate at the kennels and up towards lovely Mill Dam – one of our favourite spots to sit and watch the swans, ducks and buzzards
- Swans this time....waddling and slipping on the frozen loch
Choices for the walk are to take the lower path, past Rotmell and Dowally lochs (both are fantastic any time of year) or the upper path to the east of Mill Dam, which rises quite quickly alongside the woods overlooking the loch.
- Clear signpost
We took the higher route. The ground was frozen, so nice and easy walking, but I know that it can be wet and a bit boggy along this stretch.
A second decision point comes at a small bridge, as the trees thin out and the terrain becomes more moorland.
- Decisions, decisions...OK Right it is, to take the steeper/quicker route to the summit
Carrying on straight ahead skirts the west side of the hill and round towards Loch Ordie....or turn right to tackle the muddy and steeper route to arrive at the summit from the south. We took the latter for an anti-clockwise route. It is very muddy, but fortunately still a crust of ice to make it passable – though one or two detours were needed to get round some particularly nasty stretches. I've walked along this path before – it can be really wet!
Past a gate and one of several old bits of machinery dotted around, the path meanders for a mile or so, before bending towards a cleuch between two steep hill sides, there's a burn running between them and the path bends to the right. Be careful not to walk too far past this or you'll miss an indistinct path that cuts sharply left and up into the trees.
- You can just (only just) make out the worn grassy route to the left, just before the tree
This is the start of the steepest section with a touch of scrambling, which has some stretches that are just like footprints going up stairs, I would expect them to be slippery when wet, so care is needed. The path comes and goes a little from here to the summit, which isn't actually seen until just about at the top.
The trig point comes into view, before the vista opens up in all directions.
- Trig suddenly appears
Wow. Well worth the effort.
We had walked up Mount Blair the day before – you can see it from here with the transmitter clearly visible. Scheihallion, Chonzie and one of my favourites, Ben Vrackie, are easy to spot.
- Scheihallion to the west
Looking southwards, the East & West Lomonds are clear – funny how you can spot them from just about anywhere, they're so distinctive. You can even make out the Pentlands too.
- South to East and West Lomonds
The highest point a few metres from the trig is the small rocky outcrop
- Inmyowntime at the rocky summit with the distinctive white strip of stone
Loch Ordie is lovely any time of year, but best (in my opinion) in winter when frozen
- Snow shower coming in over Ordie
More wildlife- great to see some fallow deer lazing in the crisp sunshine
- Fallows watching us closely
We came down the north side past the little Lochan na Beinne, which was frozen.
- Looking from lochan back up to summit
A few more boggy patches as the path becomes more obvious and wends its way down towards the trees again, offering great views of Vrackie and Schiehallion.
- A bit boggy - will be worse when ice and snow thaws
The path eventually comes to a clear crossroads – right takes you to Loch Ordie itself, ahead takes you to the main lower path back to Mill Dam and go left to take the higher path and re-join the route at the little bridge. We took the latter and missed out the extension to Loch Ordie.
- Yet more locals keeping a close eye on us.
Back past Mill Dam, the kennels and back to the car – around 5 hours in all, but with a lot of stops for pictures and a long tea break at the top to take in the views.
A lovely mix of a walk, plenty of woodland, moorland, lochs, wildlife, a bit of scrambling and tremendous views. Brilliant.
There are loads of walks in this area, many combinations for variety and distance – but that's for another time – for now, this hill has just turned blue on our maps
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