The Braes o' Killiecrankie
Minimum Time: 4hrs
Ascent: 492ft
Difficulty Level: 1 - Easy
Paths: Wide riverside paths, minor road, no stiles
Landscape: Oakwoods on banks of two rivers
Dog Friendliness: Off lead on riverside paths
Parking: Killiecrankie Visitor Centre
Public Toilets: At start
Description:
'Ye wouldna been sae swanky o If yeâd hae seen where I hae seen On the braes oâ Killiecrankie oâ' The song commemorating the victory of the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689 is still sung in many a pub full of patriotic tourists, despite the fact that both sides in the battle were Scots. When James II was ousted from England in a bloodless coup in 1688, the Scots Parliament (the Estates) voted to replace him with William of Orange. The Stuarts had neglected and mismanaged Scotland, and had mounted a bloody persecution of the fundamentalist Protestants (Covenanters) of the Southern Uplands. âBluidy Claversâ John Claverhouse, âBonnie Dundeeâ, had earned the nickname âBluidy Claversâ in those persecutions. He now raised a small army of highlanders in s pport of King James. The Estates sent a larger army north under another Highlander, General Hugh Mackay. Dundee, outnumbered two to one, was urged to ambush Mackay in the Pass of Killiecrankie but refused, on the grounds of chivalry. The path above the river was steep, muddy and wide enough for only two soldiers; a surprise attack on this ground would give his broadsword-wielding Highlanders too great an advantage against Mackayâs inexperienced troops. Just one of the Lowlanders was picked off by an Atholl sharpshooter at the Trouperâs Den (below todayâs visitor centre), and the battle took place on open ground, north of the pass.
Claymore Victorious. Killiecrankie was the last time the claymore conquered the musket in open battle, due to a deficiency in the musket. Some 900 of the 2,500 Highlanders were shot down as they charged, but then the troopers had to stop to fix their bayonets, which plugged into the muzzle of the musket. By this time the Highlanders were upon them, and they broke and fled. The battle lasted just three minutes. Half of Mackayâs army was killed, wounded, captured or drowned in the Garry. One escaped by leaping 18ft (5.5m) across the river: the âSoldierâs Leapâ. Dundee died in battle. A month later his army was defeated at Dunkeld, and 25 years later, when the Highlanders next brought their claymores south for the Stuarts, the troupers had learnt to fix a bayonet to the side of a musket where it didnât block the barrel.
While you're there: At the Pitlochry dam that forms Loch Faskally, Scottish and Southern Energy has a small visitor centre celebrating its hydro-electric schemes. It also has a window into the salmon ladder beside the dam. From April to October (Mon-Fri, weekends and bank holidays in July and August only) you can watch the fish battle their way up towards Killiecrankie.
What to look out for: Loch Faskally is artificial, and youâll pass the Clunie power station on the walk. Its stone arch commemorates the five people who tragically died during the construction of the Clunie Tunnel, which brings water from Loch Tummel down to Killiecrankie.
Where ot eat or drink: There are cafÃ©s at the start and at Lochside, Pitlochry. Pitlochry itself is the town of the tea room. One of them is Macdonaldâs, on the main street, which serves traditional Scottish high teas to the very hungry.
Directions:
From the back corner of the visitor centre, steps signed âSoldierâs Leapâ, lead down into the wooded gorge. A footbridge crosses the waterfall of Trouperâs Den. At the next junction, turn left (âSoldierâs Leapâ). Ten steps down, a spur path on the right leads to the viewpoint above the Soldierâs Leap. 2 Return to the main path, signed âLinn of Tummelâ, which runs down to the River Garry below the viaduct. After mile (1.6km), it reaches a footbridge. 3 Donât cross this footbridge, but continue ahead, signed âPitlochryâ, along the riverside under the tall South Garry road bridge. The path bears left to a footbridge. Cross and turn right, signed âPitlochryâ, back to the main river. The path runs around a huge river pool to a tarred lane; turn right here. The lane leaves the lochside, then passes a track on the right, blocked by a vehicle barrier. Ignore this track but shortly afterwards turn right at another signpost to Pitlochry. 4 Immediately bear left along the right-hand side of Loch Dunmore, following red-top posts. Turn away from the footbridge across the loch, half right, on to a small path that becomes a dirt track. After 270yds (246m) it reaches a wider track. Turn left, with a white/ yellow waymarker. After 220yds (201m), the track starts to climb and the white/yellow markers indicate a smaller path on the right which follows the lochside to a point below the A9 road bridge. 5 Cross Loch Faskally on the Clunie footbridge below the roadâs bridge and turn right, on a quiet road around the loch. In mile (1.6km), at the top of the grass bank on the left, is the Priest Stone. After you pass the Clunie power station, you reach a car park on the left. Here a sign indicates a steep little path down to the Linn of Tummel. 6 Return to the road above for 0.5 mile (800m), to cross a suspension bridge on the right. Turn right, downstream, to pass above the Linn. A spur path back right returns to the falls at a lower level, but the main path continues along the riverside (signed âKilliecrankieâ). It bends left and goes down wooden steps to the Garry, then continues upstream and under the high road bridge. Take the side-path up on to the bridge for the view of the river, then return to follow the descending path signed âPitlochry via Faskallyâ. This runs down to the bridge, Point 3. Return upstream to the start.
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