This straightforward explores part of the Atholl Estate above the castle, including a loop through a beautifully-wooded gorge and a visit to a folly.
Bog Factor
Waymarked woodland paths and tracks, plus some minor roads.
Old Bridge of Tilt car park.
None to Old Bridge of Tilt; Blair Atholl buses and trains only a kilometre away.
NN874662
Park at the well-signed car park near the Old Bridge of Tilt. The walk is mostly waymarked with black arrows and begins by leaving the car park via the entrance (opposite a cottage) and turning left along the road. Soon the road forks; take the right hand branch which slopes gently uphill. There's a path off right here which makes for a short uphill optional detour to the Balvenie Pillar - built on the site of Blair Atholl's last public execution. Our route, however, continues along the road for another 500m to reach a cross-roads of routes. Go straight across here, taking a track leading past a bungalow. Beyond the bungalow take the marked path on the left, then turn right before a gate to continue through the trees.
The path now enters the Banvie Gorge, keeping high above the burn. Eventually the route rejoins the original track; turn left along it. Now simply follow the track ahead through Banvie Woods - a good location to look out for red squirrels. Further on keep left at a fork to follow the track that descends to an attractive stone bridge over the burn. Don't cross it (unless you want a short cut) - but it is worth walking out onto it to look up and downstream. Continue along the track, with another track rejoining from the right. At the next fork, go left once more to reach the upper Banvie bridge - a lovely spot.
Cross this bridge to begin the walk back down the far side of the gorge. The track rises slightly and another track joins in from the right. Keep straight ahead (bearing left at the fork) to reach the first bridge once more. Again, don't cross but continue along the track. After another 300m a broad path goes off on the right hand side. Take this to make a short but worthwhile detour to visit 'The Whim'. This stone-built folly has three arches and was built to frame a view to Blair Atholl castle.
Return to the main track and turn right to continue down the glen. The track continues, soon passing to the left of a house and then down a beautiful avenue of trees to reach the tarmac road. Turn left along this, passing under a stone footbridge, to reach the picturesque hamlet of Old Blair.
The road and route bend left in the hamlet. Just beyond Old Blair the cross-roads from earlier on the walk is reached once more. Turn right here to retrace the outward route down the road to the start of the walk.
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