Date/Time

Date(s) - 23/07/2017
8:00 am - 8:30 pm

Walk Details

Pub Stop?: No
O/S Map Sheet No.: 43, 52 & 53
Grid Ref. Start: 944592
Grid Ref. Finish 939580
Walk (Miles): 12
Walk Hours: 6.5
Bus Time to Walk:3 hrs
Bus Time from Walk: 2.5 hrs
Departure time from walk: 6:00 p.m.


Walk Notes

 

Link to Full Album

O.S. Maps 43 & 52 (Braemar & Pitlochry).

N.B. 8.00am start from Aberdeen.

The walk today sees your Club in Perthshire to climb the shapely peak of Ben Vrackie which overlooks the town of Pitlochry and the Pass of Killiecrankie. We will be dropped off at the village of Moulin and our bus will return to Pitlochry – our pick up point. This walk is a through one, so members who require a shorter, or different walk – please indicate your intention with the committee member in charge of the bus.

Our walk commences at Moulin (NGR 944 592), a small village to the north of Pitlochry. From the lane behind the hotel, a sign-posted track climbs uphill, through the trees and alongside a burn to a gate leading on to open hillside. A well-marked track then heads NNE to a col, to the NW of Creag Bhreac and then drops down towards Loch a’ Choire where the burn, below its small dam, is crossed. The steep slopes to the east side of the summit are then climbed by a good path, to eventually reach the summit trig point of Ben Vrackie (841m). In good visibility, you will get a tremendous panoramic view in all directions. From the summit, descend W’wards round the end of the crags and then contour the ridge of Meall na h-Aodainn Moire before turning NW’wards and reaching the estate road which zigzags downhill below the remote house of Druid. This road is then followed down under the new A9 road to reach the old A9 road near the NTS Visitor Centre at the Pass of Killiecrankie. From the Visitor Centre, take a path leading down into part of the gorge of the River Garry known as the “soldiers leap”. Here, Donald MacBean, a rebel soldier, fighting for King William 111’s army and escaping from the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689 is alleged to have eluded Jacobites pursuing him by jumping over the river’s gorge. Follow the waymarked path southwards through the trees alongside the River Garry to eventually reach the head of Loch Faskally, just past the junction with the River Tummel. Loch Faskally was created by the damming of the river downstream to form the Pitlochry Hydro-Electric Scheme. The east shore of the loch is followed S’wards to pass under the new A9 road at a flyover where we approach the outskirts of Pitlochry. A path on the right leaves the road and returns to the banks of the loch again. From here, an access road to the dam heads uphill into the town bus park where our bus will be parked (NGR 939 580).

Distance approx. 12 miles.

Bus departs at 6.00pm.

In the event of an emergency arising, the person in charge of the outing should be contacted, if possible, before the police are contacted.

Relevant telephone number for Grampian police is 0845 600 5700 or 999.

Committee member in charge today is Heather Eddie

Bookings

Online bookings are closed for this event. Please contact Gilbert to find out if there are spaces available.