Rob Roy Way

Drymen to Aberfoyle

A pleasant sheltered walk starting on a minor road before entering the extensive Loch Ard Forest and using forest tracks. The route continues on forest tracks until Aberfoyle, the most southerly of the Trossachs villages.

Aberfoyle to Strathyre

A glorious walk through the Menteith hills on forest tracks and stony paths on to Loch Venachar. The last few miles encompass a very quiet minor road into Callander. Callander is a large town with plenty of shops and cafes.

You will leave Callander walking by the banks of the river Teith heading into the highlands. You will then follow an old railway line shared with cycle route 7 along the west shore of Loch Lubnaig. Today’s destination is the small village of Strathyre.

Strathyre to Killin

Continuing north on forest tracks before you rejoin the railway line, today is a varied day with pleasant views over the river and then Loch Earn. You can take an optional diversion to visit Rob Roy’s grave at Balquidder. Killin is located at the west end of Loch Tay.

Killin to Ardtalnaig

This section is a highlight of the trip, climbing through the forest into the hills on the southern banks of Loch Tay with fine views over the rugged Trarmacan Hills and Ben Lawyers. It passes the remote Lochahan Breachlaich before following sheep tracks over high moorland countryside, then descending again to the banks of Loch Tay. A section along the minor road leads to Ardtalnaig, a small settlement on the south side of Loch Tay. You will be transferred back to your Killin accommodation for a second night stay.

Ardtalnaig to Aberfeldy

You will be transferred back to the route from Killin. Today is a more strenuous day with rewarding views from a ridge linking two gorges. Using forest tracks to the Falls of Moness and the Birks o’ Aberfeldy the path down the Birks is steep in places but wooden platforms and bridges make the final descent to Aberfeldy easier.

If you wish, it is also possible to visit the Aberfeldy Malt Whisky Distillery or the nearby 16th century Menzies Castle.

Aberfeldy to Pitlochry

Today is mainly quiet back road walking starting fairly flat and turning more steep, but steady. You will finish with a moderate descent into your final destination of Pitlochry.
Pitlochry is known for its Hydro-electric dam and ‘Fish Ladder.’ The town also has two malt whisky distilleries. It is also possible to climb Ben Vrackie from here (2757 feet, 841m).

Moderate

The Rob Roy is a relatively gentle walk, on generally good paths, tracks and country lanes. With some walking experience and a bit of fitness this route is pretty straightforward.

Terrain: Most of the walk follows forests, loch shores, and the lower slopes of the surrounding hills.

What’s it like underfoot? Generally good – the route makes use of forest tracks, cycle paths, old railway tracks, and country lanes as well as unmade footpaths. There are couple of days where the route is a bit rougher, but nothing too challenging.

How Much Up & Down? Most days don’t involve too much ascent or descent, but there is one longer climb after Killin of around 400m.

Signposting: None – you need to use you map & guidebook.

Navigation: Pretty straightforward, on the lowland sections, but you may encounter hill fog or low cloud on a couple of sections, so you need to be able to navigate.

Weather: You may be lucky enough to encounter warm, dry weather over the whole route and enjoy dry paths and tremendous views, but you must be prepared because the weather can change quickly. Good clothing and waterproofs essential!

Good accommodation and friendly hosts are an essential part of any holiday. We understand this and go out of our way to find the best. We put a great deal of effort into hand picking our accommodation and matching it to individual customer requirements. As well as visiting the accommodation ourselves, we ask all our customers to complete a short evaluation on each night’s accommodation, which then gives us an insight into the day-to-day operation and lets us spot any potential issues before they become a problem.

We use a variety of accommodation. Over the course of your trip you might stay in a village inn, a bed and breakfast in a converted barn, a Victorian guest house, or on a working farm. In selecting the accommodation we look for helpful, friendly hosts with good quality, characterful accommodation close to the trail. Occasionally we may use a chain hotel.

We always try to arrange en suite accommodation, i.e. rooms with their own bathrooms for each night of your stay. However, in some of the more remote locations accommodation is limited and occasionally we may have to book rooms with shared bathrooms for one or two nights of your holiday, (especially if the booking is made at short notice), but we will always let you know if this is likely to be the case.

We are happy to book single rooms on our holidays but cannot normally book more than two for any one group. Single room bookings include a supplement.

Here are some examples of the accommodation we use on the Rob Roy Way:

The Knowe Guest House, located in the heart of ‘Rob Roy’ country, offers a blend of Victorian charm and modern comfort. Overlooking Callander and the surrounding valley, the house provides stunning views of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, while their woodland-facing rooms offer the opportunity to spot Red Squirrels or Roe Deer. Visit their website

Rosebank House Bed and Breakfast in Strathyre offers charming accommodation in the heart of the Trossachs National Park. Guests enjoy spacious rooms with stunning views of mountains, the gardens, or the nearby river. Their hearty breakfasts include home-made breads, butter, jams and ‘tattie’ scones amongst other delicacies. Visit their website

Breadalbane House in Killin is a welcoming three-star B&B nestled at the western tip of Loch Tay, surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Ben Lawers and the Tarmachan Ridge. Run by Désirée and Wouter van Doorn, it offers en suite rooms, a relaxing lounge, and easy access to outdoor activities and the iconic Falls of Dochart. Visit their website

Tigh Na Cloich in Pitlochry is a beautifully restored Victorian house offering ten en suite rooms, a licensed bar, and sweeping views of the Tummel Valley. Just a minute’s walk from local amenities yet wonderfully tranquil, guests can enjoy delicious breakfasts, superior rooms, and relaxing moments on the garden terrace or in the lounge. Visit their website

General travel information on the Rob Roy Way area will be in your holiday pack including train and bus timetables where available.

Detailed instructions on getting to your first night’s accommodation by car, or on foot from the nearest train or bus station, will also be included in the holiday pack on individual accommodation maps.

To view train times please visit trainline where you can also purchase tickets in advance. For information on bus timetables please visit traveline

If you require secure car parking whilst walking this route, please contact us for information.

Getting There:
By Air: The nearest airport is Glasgow International (GLA) or Glasgow Prestwick (PIK). An airport shuttle bus runs into Glasgow city centre, journey time is 25 minutes. You can then travel by bus (usually not direct) or taxi to Drymen. Glasgow to Drymen is 18 miles.
By Public Transport: There is a main railway station in Glasgow; you can then travel by bus (usually not direct) or taxi to Drymen. Glasgow to Drymen is 18 miles.
By Road: A811 from Stirling (21 miles) or A809 from Glasgow (18 miles).

Returning from Pitlochry:
By Public Transport: There is a railway station in Pitlochry. Travelling south you can either head for Edinburgh or Glasgow, for the north head for Inverness.
By Road: When traveling back into England or Wales from Pitlochry, head for either Edinburgh (70 miles) or Glasgow (84 miles) depending on the direction of your final destination.

Pitlochry

Pitlochry is a pleasant Victorian town on the river Tummel. The river was dammed in the 1950’s and a fish ladder built to allow the thousands of salmon to swim upriver in their annual migration. There is in an interesting walk past the fish ladder and the viewing chambers where you may spot a fish going upstream, then past Scottish Plant Collectors Garden and back via the river Garry. You can also hire boats or go fishing on nearby Loch Faskally.