1st – 5th July 2025
Introduction
Scotland was calling. It had been some time since I attempted a serious
walk north of the border. I had got hung up on various sections of the England
Coast Path and had neglected all those Scottish ‘Great Walks’ I liked the look
of the Cateran Trail in Perthshire but the logistics of finding accommodation in
such a remote area seemed unsurmountable, Then I came across the concept of the
specialist travel company who could arrange baggage transfer on a daily basis, book
my accommodation and coordinate with local taxi firms for remote pick-ups.
Being the old-fashioned walker who has always carried his own heavy rucksack,
this was a radical move. I contacted Absolute Escapes with some caution. I
instantly got a positive reply and was soon discussing the logistics with
increasing enthusiasm. The outcome was that, on Monday 30th June, I
drove up the M6 towards a hotel in Blairgowrie, the starting point of this
trail. Unloading the bags at the Angus Hotel and then dropping the car off at a
pre-paid parking slot at Tesco’s, I was able to enjoy a couple of pints of Ossian
Stout (4.1%) from Inveralmond Brewery, and a meal of seabass before getting an
early night.
A Start in the Rain
How frustration it was to find
that, after weeks of heat and drought, it was starting to rain as I walked out
of the hotel, The trail head was just across the road so I was quickly on my
way up the riverside path towards Lornty Bridge. Here I faced my first climb of
the day, up a steep lane to Knockie. A long flat road contoured above the
valley and then descended down to East Gormack. Just before the farm, the signed
route took an unexpected diversion from the map and guidebook. A gate on the
right led into a field and a mown grass strip ran straight down to the valley
bottom. Then followed a long plod around the overgrown field boundaries alongside
Lornty Burn which eventually emerged onto a lane that crossed the burn and
climbed up to Middleton Farm. A steep climb onto the moor became a long
straight grassy track that ran for 2 ½ miles before dropping down into the
forest near Bridge of Cally. I had no inclination to visit the pub so I turned
left at the junction and climbed back up into Blackcraig Forest.
By the time I had reached the top
of the plantation near the Croft of Blackcraig, I had completed 9 miles and it
was time for some lunch. I sat on a log for 25 minutes to eat the butty and
pastry I had bought in a supermarket back in Blairgowrie. The afternoon session
was a long and devious contour above Strathardle, a mixture of stoney paths,
farm tracks and hilly excursions which eventually brought me out on a gentle
descent to the valley bottom and the quiet village of Kirkmichael. The entrance
to the village was via the old church which looked very austere and neglected.
Emerging opposite the pub, I spurned the chance of a drink and turned south
down the main road to Strathardle Lodge, my lodgings for the night. In the bar
I met Rita and Johan, a Dutch pair , and we chatted away whilst they supped
whisky and I indulged myself in Ossian Golden Ale (4.1%). The three of us then
retired into the dining room to micro-wave our meals for the evening. I had
been warned that the restaurant was not operating on a Tuesday and I had
slipped a Thai curry ready meal into my bag. We talked the daylight hours away
and then it was time for some well-earned sleep.
Blairgowrie dep. 09.12, Kirkmichael arr. 16.59
GPS 16.01 miles in 7hr 20mins 00secs,
plus 25 min butty break at Croft of Blackcraig.
Stayed at Strathardle Lodge and
microwaved my own meal.
Wednesday 2nd July 2025 Kirkmichael – Spittal of Glenshee
Lunch with Queen Victoria
A ‘full Strathy’ was a good start to the day but I still took the
precaution of buying a butty made fresh for me at the village community shop.
The day’s route began on the west side of the river where a track led away from
the riverbank and into an area of clear-felled forest with brashings still covering
the ground. The path was hard to follow through the dead wood and it was a
relief to find myself still on the official line as I spotted a gate at the end
of this section. Grassy field paths led back to the riverside and the hamlet on
Enochdhu where I recrossed the River Ardle and the main road. Here began the
five mile climb to the Lairig Gate. The track was steep at first up to the
farmsteads at Dirnanear but then eased off for a delightful section of open
forest, Calaminach Wood. Emerging from the top end of the wood, two things
happened at once; Mike Laurence phoned and it started to rain. Due to a weak
signal, the first was readily dealt with but the second involved donning full
waterproofs and battening down against a bout of winter.
I was soaked and cold by the time I got to the Upper Lunch Hut and I was
thankful to have somewhere to shelter and eat my butty. The visitors’ book was
a fascinating read, beginning with a copy of a thank you card Queen Victoria
had sent following her visit in 1863. I humbly added my own name to this
auspicious list of signatories. After half an hour the rain began to easy and I
put on my wet gear and ventured out onto the upper slopes of the mountain. I
staggered up to the top of the pass at the Lairig Gate and was disappointed to
find the clag down over the ridge and the views into Glen Shee were hidden. A
good steep path led quickly down below cloud-level and the houses at the
Spittal came into view. It was soon time to phone James, my taxi man, and give
him the 30-minute warning. Then it was full speed down the mountainside to make
the rendezvous time. It worked perfectly. As I opened the bottom gate onto the
road, James pulled up in his Skoda and we immediately set off down Glen Shee
and over into Glen Isla to deliver me to my over-night accommodation.
Kirkmichael 09.15, Spittal of Glenshee arr.14.20
GPS 8.87 miles in 4hrs 20mins 27secs
walking time plus 30 mins in the New Lunch Hut.
I was picked up by taxi at Spittal
of Glenshee and taken to the Glenisla Hotel. Ate haddock and chips and managed
two pints of Ossian Stout (4.1%). Then retired to my room to watch Emma
Raducanu play her best ever match on grass.
Thursday 3rd July 2025 Spittal
of Glenshee – Kirkton of Glenisla
Two Castles and Two Glens
The hotel appeared unstaffed the following morning when I dragged myself
into the breakfast room. Just a couple of guests who showed me where and how to
make my own breakfast. I made do with a bowl of muesli and some toast and a
cafetiere of coffee. Every cloud has a silver lining and this set-up allowed me
to make my own jam butties for lunch and slip these into my daysack. I was thus
prepared for a good day’s walk as I stood outside the hotel at 9.30am waiting
for my taxi ride back up the glen. I was dropped at Spittal of Glenshee at
exactly the same place as the previous day’s pick-up. By just before 10 o’clock
I was striding down a wide grassy track which wound its way along the side of
the glen to an old farm building. The route became more complex beneath the
steep-sided slopes and then climbed on an unsigned diversion around Glenshee
Lodge. Crossing some farm land, the glen widened out and I could see the
historic Finegand farmhouse on the other side of the river. Then it was flat
and fast walking over grass fields before the route climbed up a stony track
into a forest, passing the white castle of Dalnaglar. A mile beyond, I emerged
onto the road over to Glen Isla. I was now faced with the prospect of walking
2½ miles of tarmac.
The road was amazingly quiet and it was quite a pleasant climb walk. As
the road began its decent, the hamlet of Forter came into view with its small
and compact castle more like a tall square tower. Here, just as I was searching
for a lunch-spot, it began to rain and I sat in full waterproof gear munching
my home-made sandwiches. Then came the cruellest climb of the day, a wide
forest road heading north east directly away from the hotel. After what seemed
an age, I reached the highest point which offered fantastic views south over
Auchintable Loch. The path descended almost down to the loch-side and then went
on through a partially felled plantation. One more rise took me up to another
viewpoint where the whole of the glen opened out before me and I could see the
distant Loch Shandra. It was a long plod down the valley, especially through
the boggy areas. but I eventually gained the good quality track beside the
loch. It was a peaceful setting with two fishing boats adding to the charm of
the place. One more unexpected climb was to follow. The track turned away from
the loch and up and over a very steep-sided ridge before gently dropping down
into Kirkton of Glenisla. My hotel was half a mile along the road.
Spittal of Glenshee dep. 10.13, Kirkton
of Glenisla arr.16.52
GPS 15.14 miles in 6 hrs 46 mins 54
secs walking with 10 mins stop near Forter.
I stayed for the second night at the Glenisla Hotel where, this time, I
ordered the lasagna and garlic bread. The Ossian beers had now become de
rigueur, so I had pints of both the golden and the stout. There was none of the
promised sticky toffee pudding so I finished with coffee and cake.
Friday 4th July 2025 Kirkton of Glenisla – Alyth
Shadowed by an Osprey
The same arrangements for breakfast, this time totally on my own in an
empty hotel. Knowing the ropes, I soon had an adequate breakfast of toast and
coffee and had also an ample supply of jam butties for lunch. I was in no hurry
to make an early start as my check in time in Alyth was not until 4pm. But I
still needed to have my bag ready for the transfer service collection at
9.30am. The forecast was poor, with flood warning being issued for this part of
Scotland. But it was a dry breezy morning for my start along the road, passing
the village hall and over the wobbly wooden suspension footbridge of the River
Isla. Pushing through the thorny scrub, the path started to rise and contour above
the glen giving great views back over my hotel. A trod then led down through an
area of open woodland on the side of Cairn Hill. I was suddenly aware of a bird
call that I did not know, not dissimilar to the calls of raptors back home. The
sound was persistent as I slowly picked my way through the trees so I switched
on my Merlin app and was stunned to realise that the bird circling overhead was
in fact an Osprey. I stood for several minutes watching this predominantly
white-chested bird, not particularly big and quite similar to an owl in its
flight pattern, fly around me. It was obviously not happy with my presence and
I must assume was nesting in the wood and probably had young nearby. But it was
a magical moment.
The remainder of the morning was quite dull in comparison. Three miles of
flattish farm tracks that wove between the various farms. Half way along I was
stunned to meet an asphalt lorry crawling along the track on its way to making
a delivery. A short section of tarmac passed Wester Derry and a steep field
path led up to a delightful contour path above Easter Derry. Here I found a
suitable spot for a rest and bite to eat. Further steep fields then slowed my
progress and the wind was now up gale force has I crawled my way round the
hillside on a section entirely devoid of way-signs. It was a relief to arrive
at Ardormie Farm and turn away from the wind and onto their mile-long drive. A ¼-mile
section of main road needed to be negotiated before a grass track led uphill along
a line of trees and strip woodland. This became overgrown as it passed through
a narrow valley between two hills and emerged on the crest of a ridge where the
panorama over the town of Alyth opened out. A very steep track dropped down
into town, passing on its way the rather splendid looking Lands of Loyal Hotel.
The centre of Alyth, its river and market square, was an absolutely picture in
the afternoon sunshine as I made my way to my guest house.
Kirkton of Glenisla dep. 10.13, Alyth arr.16.07
GPS 11.20 miles in 5 hrs 27 mins 11
secs walking time plus a 25 min stop near Easter Derry to eat my sandwich.
I stayed at Tigh Na Leith Guest
House and ate at the Alyth Hotel where a beautiful chicken tikka masala was
accompanied by Schiehallion lager (4.8%) from Harviestoun Brewery. I could not
resist a sticky toffee pudding to finish.
Saturday 5th July 2025
Alyth – Blairgowrie
Return to Sender
I was first down for breakfast, having a long day in front of me.
Fortified by a lovely plate of French toast and bacon and with my bag safely
stowed for an afternoon pick-up, I set off via the Co-op to join the prawn
butty brigade. The river was crossed and the steep road was climbed out of this
lovely village on a pleasant warm morning. Ever since the met office weather
warnings the conditions have been perfect for walking. Taking a north westerly
direction, the lane and track got steeper and steeper never letting up until I
was out on a high heath of gorse and thorn bushes. A wren chattered away as I
traversed the plateaux and descended into flatter farmland and around the
periphery of the Bamff estate. Eventually I reached a road and the start of 2½
miles of tarmac. The quiet line ran westward and undulated up and down across
valleys and moorland and passing herds of sheep and cattle. At Heatheryhaugh,
the farmer was driving a large flock of sheep along the road towards me and I
had to hurry through to avoid the bleating masses. The walkers route continued
in a straight line on a narrow, overgrown and seemingly un-walked trod over a
ridge and through woodland down into Netherton. As I approached Bridge of Cally,
I was looking forward to a drink and rest at the hotel but just like everything
else in this part of the world, when I got there I found it was closed. I had
to plod on into the forest where I quickly came across a picnic table, the
perfect substitute for a lunchtime break.
From hence I was reversing the route of day 1. The afternoon began with a
long climb up and over the moor. The sun was now defying the met office
warnings and it was warming up significantly. It was far easier striding down
to Middleton Farm than the strenuous effort in the opposite direction some four
days before. At West Gormack, I was fully versed in the need to turn left over
the farmland along the bottom of the valley. What I missed was the unmarked
turn back up the hill at East Gormack, the recent route-change that differed
from the maps and the guidebook. I overshot the righthand turn and spend the
best part of half an hour contouring back onto route. This put me behind
schedule for the final three miles along the lanes to Lornty Bridge and along
the River Ericht into Blairgowrie. It was after 5pm when I retrieved my car from
Tesco’s car park and began the drive back to Alyth to collect my bag. The journey
back to Ayrshire was incident-free and even the traffic through Glasgow’s
motorway system was quite light. By 7.45pm, I was enjoying being reunited with
family and enjoying the food they had saved me. A happy end to an interesting
trip.
Alyth dep. 08.57, Blairgowrie arr. 17.07
GPS 17.72 miles in 7 hrs 44 mins 23 secs plus 20 mins lunch break near
Bridge of Cally.
