Most of the walk reviews I read start the walk at Dunkeld railway station but I decided to start my circuit at the quarry car park on the Bankfoot road, B867. There is parking for about half a dozen cars and two slots were already taken.
The skies were blue, warm down here but I could see the trees blowing about on the slopes. Still a hardy Scot, shorts on, jacket off away I went.
There is a tourist notice board but it would be pretty hard to go wrong on this walk. Go under the railway underpass, I know it is the railway as a train passed overhead as I walked through, lots of noise. Almost immediately there is a good view of the flanks of Birnam Hill. Choice turn left to start the walk clockwise or keep following the level path to go anti clockwise. From my experience the clockwise option is an easier more scenic walk but it's your call.
I chose clockwise and a steady climb up a good path with magnificent golden orange ferns beginning to uncurl, a great natural sight.
At the signpost for the Stair bridge viewpoint take the detour as it is only a short way and if the light is in your favour there are excellent views to the south and on Rohallion Loch I could see a boat with a couple of anglers. I think that there is an option to continue on this path to another hill but I did not have my OS map so decided to not take a chance. The landscape after Stair bridge has been deforested and not overly attractive.
I retraced my steps and started climbing again and met a guy walking down but all he wanted was a quick hello and quickly past by.
The track had now opened out with good views and a pair a black headed gulls flew over me a few times. I wonder if a nest was nearby? The track zigzags up the hill. Still on a clear track I reached a slight decline and thought I saw a head move in a hollow. Intrigued I moved forward and met a Canadian lady with a very young tot and a small boy. We chatted for a minute and on upwards I went up some pronounced steps where I met her husband and older boy descending. A brief chat about the beauty of Scotland and then up a bit higher and I reach the summit which has a very big cairn which you can walk into.
Good views towards the west with Schiehallion prominent but the inevitable wind turbines spoiling the view.
It was a strong cool breeze and not great for my lunch break so I didn't linger long and followed the track downwards. Before too long I reached some slabs which had super views over Dunkeld and Birnam, the River Tay and east to Blairgowrie. An ideal spot to have my sandwich and just enjoy the view.
The descent takes you through the natural forest and is quite a steep descent with not a lot to look at. Clearly this would be a bit of a slog as it remains this way until I reach the track with the signs pointing me to the right to get back to my car.
It is now about a miles walk, still in the forest with the A9 for company for a while. It is a mile from this spot back to the car. I meet the Canadians again and apart from the single guy earlier they were the only people I saw today. The walk distance was 4.17 miles with 1096 feet of ascent. Including lunch it took me 2 and a quarter hours which was fine for me. Fine views including a good contrast between the flatter southern land towards Perth and the northern mountainous region you are now entering.
I think I have earned a big slice of carrot cake at Faskally cafe in Pitlochry.
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