Walking in the Scottish Highlands
- Relaxing and impressive Highland walks, castles, history and whisky
- Exploration of Blair Castle and the Hermitage with its towering Douglas Firs
- Killiecrankie, site of the first Jacobite rebellion victory
- Superior accommodations in captivating towns and villages
- Whisky tastings galore at Dewar's and Blair Atholl distilleries
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Blair Atholl and overnightArrive in Blair Atholl, a small village that offers real Highland hospitality, beautiful scenery, a rich history and plenty to do, and is easily accessed from Edinburgh and Glasgow. The picturesque River Garry flows through it so why not take a stroll and take in the atmosphere of this place that is so full of rich heritage and history. Relax and enjoy the fine food and perhaps a local beer.Â
The house sits in its own large grounds overlooking the fields, golf course and the hills beyond. All rooms have en-suite facilities and are tastefully decorated to suit the style of the house.
A warm and traditional welcome awaits you at Dalgreine Guesthouse. Every room is elegantly decorated and has tea and coffee making facilities. In addition to enjoying the elegantly furnished bedrooms, you can aslo relax in the outdoor seating area in the secluded garden at the front of the house.
Please note there are not many options for eating in Blair Atholl so we suggest prebooking evening meal
Take a walk in and around the beautiful gardens and grounds of Blair Castle, ensconced in the forested valleys of Perthshire. Ancestral home of the clan Murray, this 13th century castle is also home to Europe's only remaining private army, now used solely for ceremonial purposes. The castle itself has an imposing white façade and dominates the area. After taking in some thirty treasure-filled rooms, take a tour around the wonderful grounds and gardens and enjoy Diana’s Grove and the restored Hercules Garden. Suggestions for the afternoon are a visit to the Atholl Country Life Museum which is crammed with artifacts relating to rural Perthshire life. Or why not visit the Wasted Degrees Brewing Company and try some of their locally brewed beer?Â
The house sits in its own large grounds overlooking the fields, golf course and the hills beyond. All rooms have en-suite facilities and are tastefully decorated to suit the style of the house.
A warm and traditional welcome awaits you at Dalgreine Guesthouse. Every room is elegantly decorated and has tea and coffee making facilities. In addition to enjoying the elegantly furnished bedrooms, you can aslo relax in the outdoor seating area in the secluded garden at the front of the house.
Please note there are not many options for eating in Blair Atholl so we suggest prebooking evening meal
Today's walk connects peaceful, understated Blair Atholl with the buzzing town of Pitlochry. It is an easy undulating and varied riverside route along quiet country roads and through open farmland and meandering woodland trails. Walk via Soldier's Leap, a famous spot in Killiecrankie. The story goes that during the 1689 Battle of Killiecrankie, an English soldier made a leap of escape that spanned 18 ft across the gorge just south of the town. The walk today passes directly by the viewpoint so you can judge the legend's accuracy for yourself. Arrival in the Victorian spa town of Pitlochry, which really is in the heart of Scotland.
Alternatively, if you do not wish to walk to Pitlochry and have an easier day you can take a local train or bus from Blair Atholl which takes approximately 15 minutes.
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The welcoming and luxurious Knockendarroch House Hotel offers a secluded retreat with wonderful views across Pitlochry to the surrounding hills. The hotel boasts large spacious rooms alongside elegant public areas. Wonderful meals, featuring the very best Scottish produce are served in the dining room, from where you can retire to the sumptuous lounge to enjoy a coffee or after dinner drink.
Tucked away in secluded wooded grounds in the Highland Perthshire town of Pitlochry, this beautiful early Victorian house has now been transformed into a 14-bedroom boutique B&B, providing a unique blend of the traditional with the luxury of contemporary design. The individually designed spacious deluxe rooms all have comfortable six foot wide beds and are decorated with stylish fabrics and furnishings.
Today is a chance for you to take a walk if you choose but also to explore Pitlochry. The walk takes you on a loop from Moulin to the north of the town and out and up into the surrounding moorland, passing around Loch a' Choire and along the slopes of Ben Vrackie but not to the summit. This walk is purely optional but gives you the opportunity to see great views over the surrounding countryside. Later you can explore the town itself and some tips are to check out the High Street with its many gift shops and eateries, take a tour of the Blair Atholl Distillery or if you are lucky book tickets in advance at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, which hosts year-round plays and concerts. Â
The welcoming and luxurious Knockendarroch House Hotel offers a secluded retreat with wonderful views across Pitlochry to the surrounding hills. The hotel boasts large spacious rooms alongside elegant public areas. Wonderful meals, featuring the very best Scottish produce are served in the dining room, from where you can retire to the sumptuous lounge to enjoy a coffee or after dinner drink.
Tucked away in secluded wooded grounds in the Highland Perthshire town of Pitlochry, this beautiful early Victorian house has now been transformed into a 14-bedroom boutique B&B, providing a unique blend of the traditional with the luxury of contemporary design. The individually designed spacious deluxe rooms all have comfortable six foot wide beds and are decorated with stylish fabrics and furnishings.
Join the Rob Roy Way for a varied walk along forestry tracks, across a short section of moorland, down along the Tullypowrie Burn, and along the River Tay into the lovely Perthshire village of Aberfeldy. If you'd like to celebrate the halfway point, pause in Grandtully and enjoy a hot cocoa at the award-winning Highland Chocolatier.
If you do not wish to walk from Pitlochry to Aberfeldy, you can catch a local bus (with one change). The journey takes around 45 mins.
Balnearn is a Victorian style property set within approximately three quarters of an acre of grounds. They have 10 comfortable and well-presented rooms, 7 of which have shower rooms and 3 with bathrooms. All their rooms have flat screen televisions, tea and coffee making facilities and hairdryers. If you wish to keep in contact they provide free Wi-Fi access for your convenience. Each room has a high standard en-suite or private facilities with high pressure showers and the majority have heated towel rails and we provide Scottish Fine Soap toiletries.
The Ailean Chraggan Hotel and Restaurant is all about Scottish hospitality in the heart of Highland Perthshire. Each of the five spacious en-suite rooms has been tastefully refurbished to make your stay as relaxing and comfortable as possible. Their restaurant has a reputation for consistently high quality traditional food, they use the freshest fish and shellfish, seasonal game and local produce.
Fernbank House is an impressive Victorian House once owned by the Earl of Breadalbane. It was built in the late 19th century and is now owned by Annette and Rory Macdonald and their family. They offer a warm welcome to their home that offers a high standard of service and comfort.
Today incorporates an easy walk with exploration of the local area. The walk takes you through the area known locally as The Birks. Originally called the Dens of Moness, the birks (from the Scots for birch trees) overlook the Falls of Moness. They were renamed when Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, penned the poem "The Birks o’Aberfeldie" in 1787. After walking back into the village then, if you wish, you can head out on a riverside trail to visit Castle Menzies, a 16th century Scottish Estate with a walled garden and tearoom. You can also explore the lovely village of Aberfeldy, including a must-visit to the Dewar's world famous whisky distillery.Â
Balnearn is a Victorian style property set within approximately three quarters of an acre of grounds. They have 10 comfortable and well-presented rooms, 7 of which have shower rooms and 3 with bathrooms. All their rooms have flat screen televisions, tea and coffee making facilities and hairdryers. If you wish to keep in contact they provide free Wi-Fi access for your convenience. Each room has a high standard en-suite or private facilities with high pressure showers and the majority have heated towel rails and we provide Scottish Fine Soap toiletries.
The Ailean Chraggan Hotel and Restaurant is all about Scottish hospitality in the heart of Highland Perthshire. Each of the five spacious en-suite rooms has been tastefully refurbished to make your stay as relaxing and comfortable as possible. Their restaurant has a reputation for consistently high quality traditional food, they use the freshest fish and shellfish, seasonal game and local produce.
Fernbank House is an impressive Victorian House once owned by the Earl of Breadalbane. It was built in the late 19th century and is now owned by Annette and Rory Macdonald and their family. They offer a warm welcome to their home that offers a high standard of service and comfort.
Today a transfer brings you close to the small hamlet of Trochry, from where you can begin your walk to Dunkeld via The Hermitage, an area cared for by the National Trust of Scotland. It is a stretch of magical forest with towering Douglas firs and you can also visit the 18th century folly named Ossian's Hall. You may spot wildlife such as beavers as you follow in the footsteps of notable visitors of the past including Wordsworth, Queen Victoria, Mendelssohn, and Turner as you wander through this magnificent landscape.
Upon arrival in the pretty village of Dunkeld, spend your final afternoon exploring. It sits on the banks of the Tay River and its cathedral dominates its skyline. Today it's partly a ruin and partly used as a local parish church. Enjoy strolling past the colourful houses here and browse in the little shops where you can purchase some souvenirs of your visit to the heartland of Scotland.Â
This accommodation is located in the heart of Dunkeld and is situated on the banks of the River Tay. They have a collection of beautifully designed rooms. Enjoy sitting in the beer garden by the river and eating in their restaurant if you wish.
At the Atholl Arms Hotel located at the head of the arched bridge over the famed River Tay, you will always experience a warm welcome. This award-winning hotel also has an excellent restaurant.
Dunkeld is on the main trainline and therefore you can easily take a direct train to Edinburgh, the journey time being approximately 1H45.Â
This trip has a carbon score of 15kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 15kg is equivalent to 88.5 candy bars. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?This tour immerses you an area of the Scottish Highlands which has towering forests, glens, rushing rivers and tumbling waterfalls. Relaxing walks bring you to historic castles, small intriguing museums, and famous distilleries. Free time has been built into the itinerary in order for you to have the luxury of experiencing this magical area of Scotland in-depth.
Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.
Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.
Solo Travellers
The walks on this tour are rated between easy and easy to moderate and the distances range between 7km and 15km. They are relaxing walks and take you to historic sites, including castles and Jacobean battle sites. Some of the walks have actually been created in order for you to explore and discover the local sights as you walk and bring you to the characterful towns and villages that you will stay in. Some of the walks are flexible too as you can opt to do them if you wwant to. It is very worth doing these amazing walks, but, if you wish, you can take local transportation to get between places and avoid the longer walking days.
On this tour you will stay in hand-picked 3* and 4* B&B's, guesthouses and hotels. All of the accommodations are superior and some are traditional buildings that have been converted, for example, a Victorian House converted into a hotel, a former house owned by a doctor which has been converted into a boutique B&B and a 5* restaurant that also has rooms. Mostly they are blend of old and new where possible. They are extremely comfortable and welcoming.Â
Alternative Accommodation
We will always try and confirm the accommodations listed. However, if those listed are unavailable, alternative accommodation of the same or better standard than those described will be provided.
This is a popular trip and accommodation in Blair Atholl is limited. It may be the case that for your preferred departure date we can only secure the Old Manse of Blair which is located just outside Blair Atholl. The property lies in the quiet surroundings of Highland Perthshire and is a 45-minute walk from Blair Atholl town centre. We will provide taxi transfers to the Old Manse of Blair from Blair Atholl on your arrival day and to the start of your walk to Pitlochry on Day 3.Â
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. We also welcome solo walkers on this tour, again a supplement is payable.
Breakfast
The majority of accommodations provide a cooked breakfast, so a traditional Scottish breakfast, with eggs, bacon, etc. However some may also provide a buffet breakfast, so please be prepared for either. There should be plenty of choices to make sure that you have enough energy for the day ahead.
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All the walks on this itinerary are available in the Macs Adventure Smartphone App. You will find the walks on the app and simply download the walk to your smartphone and follow the little blue dot! Some walks have GPS tracks only and others have walking directions. But if you follow the little blue dot you will not get lost. A reminder though not to take the Ben Vrackie Lochan walk in bad weather.
- Overnights in hand-picked 3 and 4* B&B's, guesthouses, and hotels
- Daily Breakfasts
- Luggage Transfers
- Taxi transfer Aberfeldy to Trochry (on day 7)
- Information Pack via your Macs Adventure "My Account"
- Access to maps and GPX tracks on the Macs Adventure smartphone app
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK & US office
- Travel to Blair Atholl and from Dunkeld
- Travel insurance (required)
- Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
- Personal equipment
- Entrances to museums, sites, etc
- Additional nights before, during and after the tour
The best time of year to visit Scotland is from early-April to mid-October when the weather is best, most attractions are open and the days are long. The weather is very unpredictable all year, so it is imperative to be prepared for wind, rain, cold, warmth and sunshine! Conditions (and forecasts) can vary substantially from one day to the next, so do anticipate a variety of weathers, and embrace them as the Scots do (with a good waterproof and windproof jacket on).
Blair Atholl is 80 miles north of Edinburgh on the main transport route through the Highlands. The village also has excellent public transport connections and is served by Scotrail trains and Citylink bus services from Edinburgh. The journey by train takes approximately 3H by bus and approximately 2H by train. By car the journey from Edinburgh takes 1H30 and Blair Atholl is well signed from the A9.
Dunkeld, your departure point is on a trainline and you can take a train from here to Edinburgh. The journey takes around 1H45 to 2H. Buses are also available but the journey takes longer and you will need to change at least once.
Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes a transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.
Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
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