Blackwoods of Rannoch – A Tour of the Wilderness

Itinerary

First stop will be the famous Queen’s View at Loch Tummel. This stunning scene takes in the loch itself, the iconic mountain of Schiehallion and on a clear day the mountains of Glencoe can be seen in the distance.

From here we will head on the ‘Road to the Isles” towards Loch Rannoch. The loch itself is 15km (9 miles) long and reaches a depth of 134m (443ft). As we wind our way up the North side of the loch the scenery becomes more and more barren and remote until eventually we will reach the oasis of ‘civilisation’ which is Rannoch Station. It is here that the world famous West Highland Line begins its traverse of the barren – and often bleak – Rannoch Moor. This truly is a lonely place.

We will retrace our steps back to Gaur Bridge where there is an old barracks which was constructed in 1746 to garrison English troops to oversee the local Clans (particularly the Robertsons) following the Jacobite uprising of 1744. From here we will head down the South side of Loch Rannoch until we reach the ‘Black Woods of Rannoch’. This area of native forest is a magical place that has been here since the ice sheet retreated at the end of the ice age. It has a remarkable ‘other world’ feel with trees thought to be around 400 years old. It supports a wide variety of birds and mammals including the elusive capercaillie, pine martins and red squirrels. There are a variety of walks, from leisurely to strenuous which allow you to experience this unique area to its full.

From here we will continue our journey past the base of the mighty Schiehallion (1083m 3,553ft) which due to its isolation and symmetrical shape was used in 1774 in an experiment to measure the density of the earth. We will break to take in the views of the southern Cairngorms at an old lime kiln before heading into the Tay valley and the town of Aberfeldy, where you can stop for some retail therapy from the local craft shops a well-earned refreshment.

We will head back towards Perth via a steep climb which takes us up to around 400m (1300ft) and affords wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. From here it’s all downhill following the tumbling River Braan into the pretty riverside town of Dunkeld with its picturesque bridge and ancient cathedral.

All too soon it will be time to return to your starting point with some fantastic memories and hopefully, pictures to match.

Throughout the trip, we will stop at a variety of viewpoints and areas of interest so you can stretch your legs and admire the beauty of the area and the quality of good Scottish fresh air.