Collected Musings of a Hill Wanderer

On one occasion when I was out walking during my stay in Highland Perthshire last summer, some people that I encountered asked me if I was doing the Rob Roy Way. I think that they were disappointed when I said that I wasn’t. At the time, I had been walking from Kenmore and was nearing Aberfeldy, my final destination for the day and where I was catching a bus back to Pitlochry, the base for my visit. That meant that I was in a rush at the time but I did manage to make time to stop and share a few words with them. Nevertheless, I still had five minutes to spare when I reached the bus stop, not bad going.

Recently, in preparation for my most recent stroll on the West Highland Way, I bought a new OS Explorer 348; I know that the WHW is well waymarked but it’s better to know your exact position at all times. And a map is good for telling you what’s around you as well. However, on the top left hand corner of the map, there was another green dotted line: that of the Rob Roy Way. A spot of further investigation has revealed it to be a trail starting at Drymen and heading across the Trossachs on its way to Pitlochry. Along its length, it passes places such as Aberfoyle, Callander, Strathyre, Lochearnhead, Killin, Kenmore, Amulree and Aberfeldy. Between Killin and Aberfeldy, there is a choice of routes: one going round by Amulree and a shorter more direct course. The latter is described in the Rucksack Readers guide to the long distance path while the former is only described on its official website, a truly useful calling point for planning a trek on the RRW.

The trail has only been in existence since 2002, making it a mere youngster in comparison with the 27 year old West Highland Way. In fact, unlike like other trails, it has yet to be waymarked. That, and the fact that that mapping presented in my OS Explorer 379, dates from 2001, explains how I had been straying along the way between Tombuie cottage and Aberfeldy without realising it. And it hasn’t been the only section that I have encountered either. In 2002, I followed part of the RRW when I went for a walk up the slopes of Ben Ledi by way of the section between Callander and Strathyre, though it may be that this ramble pre-dated the RRW. Moving away from this somewhat accidental approach seems an appealing proposition. The key attractions of the RRW for me are its passage through the Trossachs and skirting of Loch Tay. So far, my walking in these areas has been limited and the RRW would take that forward a great deal and there is definitely much to commend the area.

Having paid it a fleeting visit last May, I decided that it was time to pay Pitlochry another visit. Last time, I left it in rain but this time I found it dry apart from a few drops late on Saturday evening. While the rest of the U.K. was sweltering in sunshine, it seems that Highland Perthshire was not feeling the full benefit of the sun. After a warm sunny day on Wednesday, it was a case of sun versus cloud. The former is good for photos but the latter is better for walking so long as conditions remain dry. On Thursday, I was in Kingussie where the sun made no appearance while it was out and about when I returned to base. Friday and Saturday saw the sun in and out of the clouds.

Overnight coach travel got me to Pitlochry for a four night stay that saw me explore the surrounding area. Wednesday itself saw me walk from Kinloch Rannoch on the shores of Loch Rannoch through the hills to Trinafour. Next day, I took myself off to Kingussie to explore its nearby hills, particularly Creag Mhor. On Friday, I managed to return to Kenmore on the shores of Loch Tay for the first time in nearly eight years. I then walked to Aberfeldy, again through the hills. The only fly in the ointment was an unexpected no entry sign to a farmyard, understandable on safety grounds, that made the journey longer than planned, not what you need when you are making for a bus back to Pitlochry. On Saturday, I focused my attention on Ben Vrackie near Pitlochry on a walk that also took in Killecrankie and the shores of Loch Faskally. As if to prove that mountains do make weather, Ben Vrackie got covered in clag when I was there and was anything but warm and summery. If anything, it was breezy and nippy on top: and I always thought that I was overcautious, I was well prepared for this. Things opened up and warmed up later on in my walk.

Unlike the last time, I left Pitlochry basking in sunshine with a cloud-speckled sky. However, like the last time, I left it wondering about a return. Despite all that I had seen, it was just a small sample of what the area held and I felt that I had only scratched the surface. And I encountered friendly people too. For instance, from Pitlochry, it is possible to get to Balmoral and Aviemore in the Cairgorms. Dalwhinnie and nearby Loch Ericht is another possibility. Also, revisiting places that I saw under a blanket of cloud in sunny conditions could be a revelation.

Another idea also holds its attraction: bringing or hiring a bike to explore the area. It is certainly bicycle-friendly and I was cycling around Loch Tay the last time that I visited Kenmore. It is also an idea that gets around the gaps in the public transport network in this part of Scotland and allows more intimate exploration of the area. Before I took up walking, it was the bike that I used to explore the countryside but hilly country and the need to carry/hire one convinced me of the advantages of walking. Maybe, a partial return to previous ways might be in order…

I don’t have a car so public transport is an ever pervasive interest of mine. Links to relevant websites appear in appropriate sections of my website. It should come as no surprise then that curiosity recently took me onto the Perth and Kinross Council website in search of timetables and other info. There is good collection of PDF downloads and much more awaiting the curious on its transport pages. Interestingly, the council organises its website by audience: visitors, residents, business. Peculiarly, though, public transport information is accessible through the residents section. Having a link to it in the visitors section as well would be an extremely good idea.

Update (2008-07-17): The link above has been changed to point at the current location

I took myself up to the Scottish Highlands for the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. I got there thanks to the overnight National Express 336 service to Glasgow and then the 07:00 Scottish Citylink departure to Fort William. Thanks to congestion on the motorways, the National Express service left Manchester an hour late but was only 15 minutes late when it got to Glasgow!

In spite of a load of bikers descending on Fort William for the weekend as they traditionally do, I managed to find somewhere to stay on Saturday night. Once I dropped off some of my stuff at the B&B, I caught a train from Fort William to Corrour. From Corrour, I walked along hill tracks by the side of Loch Treig and Allt na Lairige all of the way to Spean Bridge. Along the way, I got to pass through some pretty wild country but all was pleasant in the sunshine.

Next day, I left a cloudy Fort William on another Citylink coach and headed towards a sunnier Inverness before stationing myself in Pitlochry for the night after a train journey. My planning hadn’t got to booking my Sunday night accommodation on the Saturday and got a surprise when I found Inverness tourist office shut! The Fort William office was also shut but I already knew about that; Inverness though was unexpected, especially considering its recently gained city status. In the event, a quick call to Visit Scotland wasn’t long sorting things out.

When in Pitlochry, I did consider walking to the top of nearby Ben Vrackie but I arrived at my hotel at around 18:30 and I usually don’t start that kind of expedition at that hour of the evening. I did take in the fine evening with a short stroll but, next morning, it was raining lightly and I didn’t feel like carrying a heavy rucksack to the top of an 841 m high mountain so I began a train journey home. Maybe one for another time then…