The Great Outdoors Spring 2019

Cribyn & N escarpment

from Pen y Fan

90 The Great Outdoors Spring 2019

that runs from the village of
Drymen to Pitlochry.
he way descends past
Tombuie House to the edge
of the plantation where a
prominent trail sign guided me
to my entry point. Commercial
plantation it may be, but the
species are varied and the
walking amicable and, happily,
there are occasional breaks in
the cover, the irst afording ine
views over Taymouth Castle
and Appin of Dull.
I crossed a second band of
open ground, weaving below
high electricity pylons before
leaving the Rob Roy Way as I
climbed higher into conifers.
Ascending through the pine,
spruce and larch of Tullichuil
Wood, the Lawers range, to
the west, revealed itself across
felled and replanted ground as I
neared the top of the plantation,
a good excuse to pause,

catch my breath and admire

mountains, the clouds at last

liting.

he route to Craig Hill

branches of the main forest

road onto a steeper, rougher

track, staying let of a high

fence as it rises to a gate

separating the two halves of

the hill. Emerging from the

trees, I contemplated making a

beeline for the summit; but the

prospect of entangling myself

in wiry heather prompted a

swit rethink and I continued

along the track, across the col,

in search of a better route. And,

where the way passed through

a wall, I found one. Branching

let, a line of ATV tracks rose

alongside the dyke, passing

through a break in the wall

higher up the slope.

Beyond the next rise,

where the track began to dip,

a little exploration revealed

the remnants of an old moss-

encrusted cairn atop a grassy

mound of larch. Satisied it was

the summit, I ambled down

through chaotic woodland

bordering the wall, rejoining

the track as it led south over

moorland, the occasional covey

of grouse erupting noisily from

the heather.

Across the valley, the

rolling landscape of low hills is

dominated by human inluence

and our need for power, the

towering wind turbines of

Griin Forest visible beyond

the marching transmission line

encountered earlier in the day.

Turning west I found

scenic solace in a peaceful little

reservoir and corrugated iron

bothy bordering the road home.

Schiehallion was a sight for sore

eyes to the north, the mountains

of Glen Lyon and Ben Lawers

vying for attention.

Further information

Maps: OS 1:50,000

Landranger sheet 52

(Pitlochry & Crieff); OS 1:25,000

Explorer sheet 379 (Dunkeld,

Aberfeldy & Glen Almond)

Transport: Sweeneys

route 91 offers a

limited bus service between

Aberfeldy and Kenmore.

See travelinescotland.com

orsweeneysminibuses.co.uk

i

Information: Perth

iCentre, 01738 450600

[Captions clockwise from top]

Tree-clad Craig Hill; Reservoir

and bothy on the road home;

View west to mountains of Glen

Lyon and Lawers range