Walks with Buses - Aberfeldy to Pitlochry

Shortly after the distillery (at Beyond Adventure), the path leaves the roadside and follows the banks of the River Tay. Rising on the slopes of Ben Lui, which is about 25 miles from the west coast, the river runs for 120 miles long. It is the seventh longest river in the UK but the largest in terms of mean flow, and is famed for its salmon fishing. If you look carefully, there are signs of beaver activity along this stretch of the river. The fields by the river are often used for sheep pasture, so please keep your dogs under control and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

The path then follows the line of the old railway track to Grandtully. The railway, which was a branch line from Ballinluig, was opened in 1865 and closed in 1965. The line supported the further development of the area (rich industrialists from Dundee and further afield building weekend and holiday houses in the area), particularly in the village of Strathtay.

Grandtully is an ideal place for refreshments and you’re spoilt for choice. You can choose between the Tully Inn, the Inn on the Tay and the Highland Chocolatier! It’s also a great place for a picnic by the River Tay and, if you’re lucky, you can watch canoeists taking part in practice or competitions down the rapids and it is quite possible you may even be watching a future Olympic champion!

The next village, Strathtay, is just over the River Tay. From here, the path goes up the hill and across a moor giving it a different feel from the first half of the walk. The path follows a wonderful old route up through the trees and fields. On the way, you pass the remains of St Mary’s Chapel and the Tullypowrie Cross (small and a bit weathered but still evocative).

The route from here can be a bit muddy, particularly after wet weather. As you climb, the view over the Strath and to the high hills of Perthshire open up. At the top of the moor, you enter the forest. Shortly after, you pass the atmospheric Clachan an Diridh (the “stones of the ascent”). This is off the track but is well worth the short detour. It’s an example of a “four poster” bronze age stone circle. Just 3 of the original 4 stones now remain but, although it is now partly surrounded by plantation trees, they would have once stood proudly in open moorland.

Local tradition has it that the stones were visited on the first day of May, when a procession was made around them in a deiseil (clockwise) direction. And in 1925, John Dixon wrote: "Another theory about the "Clachan an Diridh" is that the stones marked the scene of some periodical religious meeting or ceremonial of which nothing is now known."