Walking Highland Perthshire. Ronald Turnbull

Trees, please!

      Golden saxifrage and thyme, Loch Lyon

      In this bleakest of peat, brown heather and grey stones, the civilised green of the lowlands reaches in along the rivers. Saxifrage and thyme are bright along the banks of Glen Tilt. The River Garry runs brown in autumn spate while the trees overhead are still late summer green. Glen Lyon, Scotland’s longest, is where the river winds below oaks and birches, with primroses dangling above the water. And the silvery Tay runs big and surprising at the back of Aberfeldy, even bigger by the time it’s got down to Dunkeld.

      At the eastern side of the Highlands, Perthshire has slightly more sunshine and a bit less rain. So its valleys can be pleasingly bog-free. Green trackways from Blair Atholl, and made paths around Pitlochry or the Black Wood of Rannoch, offer low-level walking as good as any in the Highlands.

      And on stormy mornings, it’s time to take advantage of Perthshire’s other promotional slogan: this is ‘Big Tree Country’. The Douglas fir at Dunkeld’s Hermitage could be Britain’s tallest tree, and is named after Mr Douglas from Scone, in Perthshire – though it takes its Latin name (Pseudotsugam menziesii) from Mr Archibald Menzies of Weem, also in Perthshire.

      The Birnam Oak could have been there as a young twig when Shakespeare wrote of Birnam Wood’s coming to Dunsinane to conquer Macbeth. Who hasn’t heard of the Birks of Aberfeldy? And the yew at Fortingall is the oldest living being in Europe: according to legend, Pontius Pilate played in its shade as a child. (This is unlikely, as his mother would have worried about the poisonous berries; and anyway, Pontius Pilate wasn’t Scottish.)

      Birnam Oak, Dunkeld (Route 35)

      High striding hill ridges; quiet valleys floored with grass rather than harsh heather; big trees and even bigger rivers: these are the pleasures of Perthshire.

      ‘REAL PERTHSHIRE’

      Beinn Dorain over Auch (Routes 28, 29)

      Perthshire was abolished in 1975. The name is now applied to the Perth & Kinross Council area: its tourist board is called VisitPerthshire and the council’s website is www.perthshire.org. When Perthshire did exist, it did not include Kinross in the south, and extended west to include Ben Lui and Ben More at Crianlarich.

      I’ve used ‘real Perthshire’ as an excuse to include the whole of the Ben Dorain group in the west, even though its main approaches are from Bridge of Orchy in former Argyll. Ben Alder is also included; the county boundary runs past Benalder Cottage, and it’s a fine hill with two genuine scrambling ridges and approaches from Perthshire’s Loch Rannoch.

      Perthshire, however defined, is a big place; it contains one in seven of Scotland’s Munros. The Lowland part of the county is represented in this book by a single route in Perth itself. Lowland Perthshire, with some fine walking in the Ochils, is covered in Walking in the Ochils, Campsie Fells and Lomond Hills by Patrick Baker, also published by Cicerone Press. That part of the far southwest included in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, and by my own Cicerone guide to it, has been left out too.

      I’ve also excluded the far northeast of the county at the back of Blairgowrie. Strathardle and Glen Shee drain into the Isla not the Tay, and feel to me like Angus Glens (and eight more Munros would have meant cutting down on the lower hills, riversides and back valleys).

When to go

      April is still winter on the summits, but low-level routes offer good walking then and in May. The leaves are breaking and birds are at their noisiest. Low-level routes are also excellent in October as the birch leaves turn gold.

      May and June are enjoyable at all altitudes. July and August can be hot and humid, with less rewarding views. East Highland midges come in slightly smaller hordes than in the west; but are getting worse with global warming. The trick is to keep moving, and when you stop, stop high.

      Midges hang on until the first frost, normally some time in September. October brings clear air and lovely autumn colours. In between times there’ll be gales. Over much of Perthshire, from mid-August (sometimes July) to 21 October, responsible access to the hills includes avoiding disturbance to deer stalking (see Appendix A).

      Creag an Tulabhain of Meall Ghaordaidh from Stronuich bridge (Route 23)

      Winter is a time of short days and foul weather. Snow can lie on the high tops from December to April. Well-equipped walkers skilled in navigation and with ice axe love the winter most of all, for the alpine-style ascents of Meall nan Tarmachan and the 100km views through the winter-chilled air.

Safety in the mountains

      Safety and navigation in the mountains are best learnt from companions, experience, and perhaps a paid instructor; such instruction is outside the scope of this book. For those experienced in hills further south, such as Snowdonia or the Lake District, these hills are noticeably larger and can be a lot more remote.

      The international mountain distress signal is some sign (shout, whistle, torch flash or other) repeated six times over a minute, followed by a minute’s silence. The reply is a sign repeated three times over a minute, followed by a minute’s silence. To signal for help from a helicopter, raise both arms above the head and then drop them down sideways, repeatedly. If you’re not in trouble, don’t shout or whistle on the hills, and don’t wave to passing helicopters.

      To call out the rescue, phone 999 from a landline. From a mobile, phone either 999 or the international emergency number 112: these will connect you via any available network. Reception is good on most summits and ridges, and on hillsides that have line of sight to the A9 or Aberfeldy. Sometimes a text message can get through when a voice call to the rescue service can’t: pre-register your phone at www.emergencysms.org.uk.

      Given the unreliable phone coverage, it is wise to leave word of your proposed route with some responsible person (and, of course, tell that person when you’ve safely returned). Youth hostels have specific forms for this, as do many independent hostels and B&Bs.

      Being lost or tired is not sufficient reason for calling the rescue service, and neither, in normal summer weather, is being benighted. However, team members I’ve talked to say not to be too shy about calling them: they greatly prefer bringing down bodies that are still alive…

      There is no charge for mountain rescue in Scotland – teams are voluntary, financed by donations from the public, with a grant from the Scottish Executive and helicopters from the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy rescue services. You can make donations at youth hostels, TICs and many pubs.

      AVALANCHE DANGER

      The Scottish Avalanche Information Service’s website www.sais.gov.uk doesn’t cover these less-frequented hills – nearest is Southern Cairngorms. Greatest avalanche danger arises after recent heavy snowfall, on moderately steep slopes facing away from the wind. After snowfall from the west, the east face of Heasgarnich could be at risk: after snowfall from the southeast, you may want to avoid the northern spur of Meall Ghaordaidh.

Maps

      Some people enjoy exploring in mountains that are badly mapped or not mapped at all. They should stay away from Highland Perthshire, as it has been