Pattack Falls and Druim an Aird

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This walk in a varied landscape takes in the Pattack gorge waterfalls and the ruins of the deserted village of Druim an Aird. Newly felled forestry and lack of waymarking makes the route difficult to follow in a couple of places - use the map and instructions.

Terrain

Waymarked in places, gentle up and down sections, can be boggy.

Public Transport

None to start.

Start

Druim an Aird car park off A86 west of Laggan. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Walk Description

Stage 1

From the car park take the path heading south-east signed Forest Walks and Waterfall. Ignore the first path going off on the right and walk uphill for a short while until you reach a path junction. The viewing area for Pattack Falls is just over the right here; the cascading river in its impressive gorge has been used as a location in TV's Monarch of the Glen. From the falls walk uphill along the main path (ignoring the faint path on the right next to the river). The path winds uphill to a waymarked junction; turn left here to follow a loop path through the attractive pinewoods.

Stage 2

The path then heads south through more open ground with heather which looks spectacular during late summer and autumn. Cross the open ground on the clear path and then head downhill and turn left at the junction rejoin the path left earlier. Continue down to a junction with a forestry track where you turn left.

Stage 3

Continue along the track until you pass a small house on the right. Immediately after the house fence turn right onto a footpath signed for Dalwhinnie. The path follows a water culvert before passing through a gate on the right and heading slightly uphill. The path here can be very wet underfoot at times and there's often a lot of windblown timber underfoot. Climb through the woodland to reach open ground. Here the plantation has been felled giving good views of the surrounding countryside but the original path can be hard to find.

Stage 4

Continue straight ahead with the fence on the left and keep following the fence to head uphill crossing underneath the powerlines for the Beauly Denny powerline before heading into the pine plantation on a clear path. Another clearing is reached and soon the remains of Druim an Aird can be seen on the left in a fenced enclosure next to an interpretation sign. It is not known why the village was deserted but one theory is that the villagers left after all the menfolk died in a snowstorm returning from wedding celebrations near by.

Stage 5

From the ruins continue along the path which soon heads to the right, away from the village ruins and soon becomes a trackuntil a junction where you turn right along a track. Head downhill on this with good views ahead towards the Creag Meagaidh range. Turn right at the next junction to follow another track.

Stage 6

Follow this track back to the T junction reached earlier in the walk. Turn left here to head uphill. At the fork take the left hand turning and cross the heathery ground before walking downhill and back into the woods. Soon you reach the viewing platform for the falls and the path back to the car park.

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