KYQ4: Rob Roy Way: Aberfeldy to Kenmore

Perthshire Hills

Sunday, 19 April 2026

Ascent: 462 metres
Distance: 14 kilometres
Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

My final leg of the Rob Roy Way had to be truncated due to a lack of time. Gregor was running the Rob Roy Way as preparation for his big run from Kirk Yetholm on the Northumberland Border to Cape Wrath. A 420-mile run that he hopes to do in 17 days, basically a marathon a day over gruelling trails and mountain passes. He was running the Rob Roy Way at the weekend as a training run. I dropped him at Killin for a 40-kilometre section to Aberfeldy. I continued to Aberfeldy from where I intended to head back to Acharn. In typical contrary fashion, I had decided to walk the Rob Roy Way from North to South. We had left home at 7:30am, and Gregor began running at 8:20am. I drove on to Aberfeldy and parked the car at the far side of the town near the Co-op at 9:00am. Gregor had wanted to be home by 2pm to watch the football. It would take an hour and 15 minutes to drive back home from Aberfeldy, where he would collect my car and collect me on the way home. I figured that I would not be able to walk the 18 kilometres to Acharn in less than three and a half hours, if at all, so we agreed he would pick me up in Kenmore.

I began my walk through the town, where I was pleased to see the Birks Community Cinema, the proud community-owned and run cinema that had been the first such venture in the UK. I then entered the magnificent Birks of Aberfeldy, made famous by Robert Burns.

The braes ascend like lofty wa's,
The foaming stream, deep-roaring, fa's,
O'er-hung wi' fragrant spreading shaws,
The birks of Aberfeldie.
Bonnie lassie, will ye go

He was not wrong. The impressive, crystal clear rippling burn adds sound and movement to the spectacular native woodland. The paths that straddle the burn and its waterfalls were a tough climb and are one of the most beautiful locations to begin any day. Today, spring had burst forth after the recent rainy April; the hosts of daffodils provided colour that enhanced the bright but muted woodland colour palette. I had covered two and a half kilometres by the time I reached the top of the escarpment.

I had climbed to 300 metres at the top of the Birks, and sauntered through the birch woodland that led to the trails and paths of the Rob Roy Way. Farm tracks began to descend through grazing lands where lambs were frolicking in the spring sunshine. There was a splendid view to the north where Meall Tairneachan and Farragon Hill, enjoyable Corbetts both, were scalloped against the skyline. The River Tay flowed menacingly through the Appin of Dull as the Rob Roy Way went up and down like a stretched-out Big Dipper. Through woodland, past new expensive houses and older, solid farmhouses. On gravel trails, muddy grass paths and the occasional section of asphalt, all strafed by marching pylons. The warmth of the Birks had been replaced by a cool breeze that made for good walking. I walked through a few forested sections before some splendid views of Schiehallion opened up, its summit kissing the clouds. In the distance, the Ben Lawers Range became visible with a top coating of snow.

Taymouth Castle was the next landmark set below the amply wooded Drummond Hill. It has been renovated, and significant developments are under construction to create a gated residential development with private access to the famous James Braid Golf Course, restaurants, spas and an equestrian centre on the 1000-acre estate. Despite creating many jobs, it is a controversial development that seems contrary to the freedom to roam. The cheapest houses are expected to start at £4m and are clearly aimed at the world's rich list and will no doubt bring expectations of a heliport and other requirements that will not help Scotland's quest to reach net zero. There is strong local opposition to the American-owned Discovery Land Company taking over many commercial facilities in Kenmore and Aberfeldy. I met a couple from Aberfeldy who had lost access to the golf club and worried about the impact on more localised tourism businesses.

I had figured that if all was going to plan, I would pass Gregor between the 8 or 9 kilometre point and began to worry when it was almost 10 kilometres before he appeared, running easily but with a lot of up and downs to go, and it was 11:40am. I continued at a steady pace through a final woodland section and then climbed uphill to Tombuie cottage at 350 metres, where a narrow, heavily eroded asphalt road descends steeply towards Kenmore. The Way turns off towards Acharn, tempting me as I walked past and was hailed by a Geordie who was looking for company on the path to Acharn and its waterfall.

The steepness of the road on the final two kilometres was more difficult than most of the trails, and it was some relief that I arrived at Kenmore and found a bench where I could admire the splendour of Loch Tay and check on Gregor. I thought I might have to wait half an hour but he had moved at speed and was only 5 minutes away. It was 12:45am and we made it home with 5 minutes to spare before the Merseyside Derby began at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Liverpool won 2-1. Gregor had run 104 kilometres in 8 hours 21 minutes since finishing work on Friday evening; good training for his big run.