Strathyre circuit

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This circular walk around Strathyre and the nearby hillside combines a section of the Rob Roy Way with a waymarked forestry walk. Part way up the hillside it crosses the Tighanes Burn and higher up there are good views. A good walk for spotting wildlife, especially deer and red squirrels and forest birds.

Terrain

Paths and forest tracks, short climbs.

Public Transport

Bus to Strathyre.

Start

Strathyre Forestry Commission car park, A84 Strathyre. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 3km / 2 miles
Time: 1 hour
Ascent: 140m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NN560168

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Walk Description

Stage 1

Park in the Forestry Commission car park at the south end of Strathyre, beyond the Broch cafe. This route combines parts of the Rob Roy Way and the waymarked route. Start by climbing up the ramp from the car park onto the pathway. Turn right and cross a small bridge before passing along the back of a row of houses. After the small play park turn right at the road junction and walk to the main road opposite the former hotel. Cross the main road and go straight ahead to a metal gateway. Go through this and bear right to climb up behind the metal railings, passing behind the converted church to reach the memorial cairn for local victims of the world wars.

Stage 2

From the cairn continue along the path which bears left and leads down to the corner of the tennis court in the recreation ground. Turn right here, following the Rob Roy Way to pass a covered shelter and cross a wooden bridge. Follow the meandering path through the woods until a fork. Keep right here passing a picnic table before heading up through the trees and over another bridge. Beyond this the path climbs up through the pinewoods. This is a good area to look out for red squirrels.

Stage 3

Keep following the path which climbs gently. Looking across the valley, the small crag of An Sidhean is visible - this south summit of Beinn an t-Sidhean is a popular walk with good views of the nearby lochs and mountains. When the path emerges onto a forest track turn right and follow the track. In this area it is common to see deer, particularly in the early morning. Birds of prey can sometimes be seen overhead and jays can be heard shrieking as they move through the trees.

Stage 4

At a junction turn left to follow the yellow marker posts uphill through an area of forestry. When the track levels off, a sign is reached for the Coille MacCaskill path, named after Don MacCaskill who worked as a forester for 40 years and was a keen naturalist and introduced many changes to forestry to manage woodlands in a more environmentally sustainable way. You could extend the walk here by continuing up the track before turning right to cross the Tighanes Burn and follow a path back down the far side. Otherwise, turn right down the MacCaskill path which meanders through the open forest near to the Tighanes Burn on the left.

Stage 5

Just before the path reaches a track you can detour to the left to visit the standing stones erected by Don MacCaskill's family and friends as a memorial to him. The cup marked stone is similar to those found at Dalriada in Argyll, the area where Don MacCaskill grew up. At the track turn left.

Stage 6

Cross the Tighanes Burn on a bridge and take the path to the right immediately after. The path follows the burn through the trees until it bears left. Just before a building is reached, and within sight of the main road, turn right down a marked path to join a track where you turn right for a short while before reaching the main road. Cross the road and follow the driveway on the opposite side back to car park. Here there is a reconstructed cross-section of an iron-age broch, a fortified house which would have sheltered people and livestock when under threat from raiders.

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