Climb up the hillside via zig-zagging tracks to gain wonderful views looking along the length of Loch Earn, before descending back through the attractive village of St Fillans.
The walk follows good tracks throughout, but has a fair amount of ascent.
Bus stops in St Fillans.
Layby on lochside of A85, west end of St Fillans.
The walk begins from the layby on the lochside of the A85 at the west end of St Fillans - opposite the bus shelter. Head up the lane that climbs gently to the west behind the bus shelter, keeping left to follow the lane which is signed for Wester Glentarken. It climbs up and passes the entrance to St Fillans power station, a hydro-electric generator whose turbines are underground.
There are good views of Loch Earn as the lane continues to climb past a picturesque house. Continue up until a junction, then turn right - signed for Wester Glentarken. Ignore the path off left that leads onto the route of the disused railway line, instead crossing the bridge over the line and passing through a gate. The track continues through birch and conifer woods, then turns sharply to the left (ignore the gate into the woods).
To continue the climb to the viewpoint, remain on the track to the left. After another 300m ignore a gated track heading off to the right (used on the return) and follow the track for a further 200m. It then zigzags briefly to the right and then back left. Just beyond here the track forks; take the right hand fork, passing through a gate. The track leads up to the edge of the forestry at another gate. Go through this to reach more open ground, with views to Ben Vorlich across Loch Earn. At a flattened area on the side of the hill the track forks again. Turn sharp left here to continue the final part of the ascent. There are good views down towards Strathearn as the track swings back to the right again before it ends at the fenced surge shaft.
Water is piped here from Glen Lednock reservoir and then plunges vertically into the underground power station to drive the turbines. Across the other side of the outflow there is a picnic bench with superb views along the whole length of Loch Earn. From here, descend back the way you came down the track, rounding the various zig-zags to eventually return to the gate mentioned earlier; head left through this gate, following a track to another seat with another great view down Loch Earn.
Continue along the track, which eventually descends through a series of zig-zags. Continue downhill past a pair of cottages and pass through a gap in the old railway line where there once would have been a bridge. Immediately beyond turn right onto a cycle path.
The cycle path leads straight back to the start if you prefer, but you can detour to head back through the village itself. Ignore an informal path off left, continuing until a signed junction - here turn left, signed for St Fillans playpark. The path leads down past the playpark; at the junction below it turn left to reach and follow Shoemaker's Lane. This soon reaches the main road, where the route turns right. It is worth crossing the road and visiting the bridge opposite here, as it has a great view up Loch Earn. The return walk leads back through the village - with Loch Earn on your left - to return to the start.
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