Walking Ben Lawers, Rannoch And Atholl - Mtns And Glens Of High Perthshire

This walking guidebook to Highland Perthshire has over 80 graded routes which explore the ridges, plateaus, glens and woodland of highland Perthshire. The mountains, or 'grassy green giants' include the 42 Munros, including Ben Lawers and Ben Adler, as well as 22 selected Corbetts, 15 smaller summits and the historic Atholl passes of Gaick and Minigaig - all within easy reach of Perth. 

The hills of highland Perthshire are spacious and soothing, a place to relax after the rigours of Scotland’s rocky north and west. But relaxation is relative, when Scottish hills are concerned. Perthshire’s mountains may be soft edged and noted for their wild flowers, but easy they are not. They are jolly green giants and, from Schiehallion to Atholl, from Rannoch to Ben Vrackie, there are a lot of them.

The nature of the landscape here results in heather and pebble-strewn plateaus and rounded ridges, with a break from the scrambling other Scottish ranges require. However, the lumpy tussocks and high heather can make walking strenuous even at lower levels. Each route is categorised by landscape; forest and riverside, moorland and hills or mountains, to help you gauge which routes fit your tastes and abilities. There is a real variety of skill levels catered for, from shorter walks on clear paths with little ascent, to day-long challenges with steep climbs and descents. Several routes also include pathless stretches and so require navigation skills, especially in bad weather.

Routes are grouped into ten geographical areas: Comrie and Crieff, Killin and Glen Lochay, Glen Lyon, Bridge of Orchy, Perth and Dunkeld, Aberfeldy, Tummel and Loch Rannoch, Rannoch Moor, Pitlochry and Blair Atholl and Drumochter. Information about places of interest along the way, as well as wildlife, geology and history are included, as are practical details on the deer stalking season, when to go, and getting around Highland Perthshire are also included.

• clusters of ascents described for some key summits: Ben Dorain, Ben Lawers, Beinn a’ Ghlo and Ben Alder
• ascents of 42 Munros and 22 Corbetts as well as a selection of low-level routes
• all illustrated with 1:50K and 1:100K mapping
   

• Seasons
  April to August for all routes, with April and May the best of all; autumn is great under the trees, but not necessarily on the hills with gales and rain fairly common, and some stalking season restrictions mid-August to 21 October; winter is good for the low level routes, and can also be magnificent on the high mountains for those suitably experienced and equipped
• Centres
  Comrie, Crieff, Aberfeldy, Killin, Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl
• Difficulty
  Routes are graded low/medium/mountain, and for difficulty from 1: clear smooth paths, with no steep sections to 5: featureless plateau requiring compass bearings in mist or pathless forest; heather tramping; remote high ground; long steep rough ascents and descents; rocky ground and easy scrambling. No serious scrambling
• Must See
  Ben Lawers, Schiehallion, Beinn a' Ghlo; historic passes through the wilds of Atholl; Perthshire's 'big tree country' at Birnam Wood, under the Birks of Aberfeldy, at Fortingall's ancient yew tree; the great rivers Garry and Tay