Rob Roy Way - Medium

Route

What's the plan?

Day 1: Arrival in Drymen

Today you will have to make your way to Drymen. Here, you will spend the night preparing for your Rob Roy Way adventure.

Day 2, Stage 1: Drymen to Aberfoyle

The path leads you into the forest and soon crosses the West Highland Way. You pass the picturesque Muir Park Reservoir surrounded by open meadows. The path continues through the extensive Loch Ard Forest with its occasional sweeping views and on to High Corrie and Corrie Viaduct. The route continues via Clashmore Cottage to the ruins of Kirkton Church.   

Distance: 18 kilometers / 11 miles
Walking time: 5.5 hours  

Day 3, Stage 2: Aberfoyle to Callander

Today the path begins again in the forest and leads you eastwards to the Mentheit Hills. The path begins to climb until you have spectacular views of the peaks of Stuc Odhar and Ben Lei. You will also have a wonderful view of Loch Venachar. From here you descend to the banks of Loch Venachar and through the woods of Coihallan Woods, you reach Callander.   

Distance: 15 kilometers / 9 miles
Walking time: 4.45 hours  

Day 4, Stage 3: Callander to Strathyre

The path takes you past a former old Roman fort to the railway line along the south bank of the River Teith. The path leads you into the forest and passes the Falls of Leny, with the top of Ben Ledi in the background. You then walk through open meadows to the southern banks of Loch Lubnaig. From here the path ascends and gives magnificent views of Glen Ample, the Pass of Leny, and Strathyre.  

Distance: 14 kilometers / 9 miles
Walking time: 4.5 hours

Day 5, Stage 4: Strathyre to Killin

Today you start by crossing the river Balvag, after which you walk into the forest. Then you cross the river Kendrum Burn and walk in front of Lochearnhead. The path ascends a little which offers wonderful views of the long-stretched Loch Tay, Ben Lawers, and Killin.  

Distance: 20 kilometers / 13 miles
Walking time: 6 hours  



Day 6, Stage 5: Killin to Ardtalnaig

Today the path starts right away with ascending through the forest, where you'll find the small reservoir Lochan Breachlaich, along with beautiful views over Loch Tay with the summit of Ben Lawers in the background. Please note that the path can be a little boggy in places.  

Distance: 19 kilometers / 12 miles
Walking time: 6 hours  

Day 7, Stage 6: Ardtalnaig to Kenmore

Day 8, Stage 7: Kenmore to Aberfeldy

Day 9, Stage 8: Aberfeldy to Pitlochry

You first follow a wooded path along the River Tay until you reach Garandfully. Here you cross the river to Strathtay. The path continues through the Dunfallandy Hills, into woodland, and passes a historic stone circle. The path then descends to the River Tummel and you finish over the bridge in the center of Pitlochry.  

Distance: 15 kilometers / 9 miles
Walking time: 5 hours

Day 10: Departure

After breakfast, our services and your Rob Roy Way adventure will be over. Have a safe trip back home!

What's Included

Included:

√ Booking the hotels
We will take care of arranging accommodation for you. We will also provide you with a detailed itinerary for every stage and instructions on how to get to the trailhead. 

√ Accommodation
We will arrange your accommodation on the Rob Roy Way in hotels. The accommodation will be in shared rooms  if needed, although most hotels on the route offer private rooms.

√ Accommodation in Drymen and Pitlochry
We will arrange the accommodation before and after your Rob Roy Way trek. Before the trek, you will spend the night in Drymen, and at the end of the trek, you will spend one last night at a hotel in Pitlochry. 

√ Breakfast
During this trek, you will stay in typical Scottish hotels, with breakfast included where possible. 

√ Baggage Transfer
This trek includes the transfer of your luggage throughout the entire trek. Your bags will be picked up every morning from the hotel lobby and will be driven to your next stop. Baggage transfers allow you to travel lighter during the day and enjoy the walk in a more relaxed manner.

Excluded:

× Airfare and Visa
You have to make your way to Drymen. The total amount is exclusive of flights to Scotland. 

× Transfers
Once in Scotland, you will have to make your way to the trailhead in Drymen. We will provide the instructions and assist you with how to get there and back to Glasgow Airport after the trek, but the bus/train tickets are not included. 

× Travel Insurance
Your international travel insurance is your own responsibility. Discuss your itinerary with the insurance company before your trek.

× Lunch and Dinner
Breakfast is, where possible, included in the price of the trek. You can get lunch and dinner at the shops, hotels, and restaurants along the way.

× Personal expenses
Personal expenses such as souvenirs, drinks, and other similar expenses are for your own account.

Accommodation

Accommodation

On the Rob Roy Way, you can stay in a cozy hotel or in a typical Scottish B&B, where you will receive a warm welcome and possibly a typical Scottish breakfast. We have selected the accommodations based on the length of each stage and the recommendation of hikers who preceded you on the Rob Roy Way. Here is an example of what can be booked. If the first option is not available, we will find an alternative.

Day 1: Drymen
We will book your first night, before starting the Rob Roy Way, in Drymen, where you will be able to relax and prepare for your adventure.

Day 2, Aberfoyle: The Forth Inn
The traditional 'Forth Inn' is right in the center of Aberfoyle. It is not a large town but it has character. From the street, it looks like it might be a decent enough 'local' but you have no idea of what is waiting inside.



Day 3, Callander: The Waverley Hotel
The Waverley Hotel is a traditional Scottish Inn that has been recently sympathetically refurbished to a high standard providing a pleasant and comfortable place to stay, eat and drink. The restaurant offers a menu that is inspired by the local area and traditions.



Day 4, Strathyre: The Ben Sheann
This inn is located in the middle of Trossachs National Park, so surrounded by outstanding natural beauty. The inn was built in a large elegant Victorian building.



Day 5, Killin: The Killin Hotel
This hotel is located in the central Highlands of Perthshire, near Loch Tay. It is arguably the most picturesque village in Scotland, surrounded by the most incredible and breathtaking mountains, rivers, and lochs.



Day 6, Ardtalnaig: The Killin Hotel
Since there is no accommodation available in Ardtalnaig, you will stay in The Killin Hotel for 2 nights. You will be transferred from Ardtalnaig back to the hotel in Killin, and the next morning, you will be brought back to Ardtalnaig, to continue your hike.

Day 7, Kenmore: The Kenmore Hotel
This small hotel claims to be Scotland's oldest inn. They have recently been taken over by new owners and they have done a major refurbishment.



Day 8, Aberfeldy: Kynachan 5 Kenmore Street
This B&B is situated in the city center of Aberfeldy. For Bob, the owner, nothing is too much trouble to ensure you enjoy your stay.



Day 9, Pitlochry
We will book your last night, after completing your Rob Roy Way adventure, at a hotel in Pitlochry, where you will be able to relax and rest after your journey.

Packing list

Packing List

On the Rob Roy Way, being prepared for the changing weather is paramount. Scotland has a very diverse climate and you may experience all four seasons in one day! With this in mind, it’s essential to pack clothing, footwear, and accessories suitable for changing weather conditions. 

Try to base your clothing on the "three-layer" principle. This consists of a base layer, which will absorb the moisture from your skin; a middle layer, which should provide some warmth; and a waterproof outer layer to protect you from the rain and the wind. Here are our recommendations for your Rob Roy Way walk:

- Trousers, waterproof, lightweight, and quick-drying
- Shirts for the base layer
- Warm jacket or pullover for the middle layer
- Waterproof jacket
- Warm hat and gloves
- Trekking boots, worn in
- Good quality socks
- Extra footwear for the night
- Map
- Waste bags
- Whistle to summon assistance in case of accidents
- Water bottle containing enough water to take you to your next stop
- Torch (preferably a head-torch) with spare bulb and batteries
- Emergency food and snacks (high energy snacks such as chocolate, dried fruit, energy bars etc.)
- Hiking poles 
- First aid kit

FAQ

FAQ

What is the best season?
When it comes to the best season to walk the Rob Roy Way, the weather is pretty much the same no matter when you go. You can see this as either an advantage or a disadvantage. In the Highlands, the weather is always bad. You can even experience all four seasons in one day... and it will certainly rain. That is the hard truth. Officially, the best time is in the summer months, July and August. During summer, the average temperature rises slightly and the days are longer. But during those two months, it is mosquito season and that can be quite annoying. A more suitable time is spring, i.e. May to June when temperatures are about the same as in summer, there is less rain and, most importantly, no mosquitoes.  

How do I get to the starting point?
The Rob Roy Way starts in Drymen and ends in Pitlochry. The path is traditionally walked from south to north, although it can also be done in the opposite direction. Both Drymen and Pitlochry are reachable by public transport.  

Starting point
To get to Drymen, the easiest option is to take a plane, train, or bus to Glasgow. From there it takes about 2 hours by train and bus to get to Drymen. Drymen has a long history of tourism. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Drymen was a popular stopping place for Highland cattle drivers. Nowadays, this no longer happens, but Drymen is just as touristy as it was then! There are several restaurants, churches, and the ruins of Buchanan Castle.   

Ending point
The Rob Roy Way ends in Pitlochry. From here, you can return to Glasgow by train and bus in about 3.5 hours.

Safety

Safety

The route mainly follows mountain paths, tracks, small roads, and cycle paths, with shorter sections on footpaths. Several sections of the Rob Roy Way run along some quiet paths or on tarmac roads and cycle paths. Work is underway to modify sections of the route to replace them with softer surfaces.
The Rob Roy Way is well marked, although in a few places there are too few markings. The path is not complicated, so if you stick to the road you are on, everything will be fine.

Scottish Emergency Number: 999

COVID-19

COVID-19

How to Book

How to Book?

On Bookatrekking.com you can find and compare the adventures of your dreams. Is this trekking your match? In that case, you can proceed with your booking. At Bookatrekking.com you make a deposit of 30% of the total amount. In the case of this trek, we will check the availability at the respective accommodations for you. There are two possible outcomes:

√ There is availability 
We go ahead and make all necessary arrangements for your trip. Once confirmed, we will send you a confirmation and your personal hiking guide. The remaining 70% must be paid at least two (2) weeks before the start of the trekking.

X There is no availability 
If there is no availability, we will look for other starting dates or another trekking in agreement with you. Are there no other options for you? Then your deposit of 30% will be refunded.

Cancellation Policy
Bookatrekking.com is dedicated to providing the best possible experience for you. We understand that life can be unpredictable and that plans may change. In recognition of this, we have created a flexible cancellation policy for our trekkings. You may cancel your trekking reservation free of charge if you notify us at least 14 days prior to the scheduled departure date. If you cancel within 14 days of your start date, you will lose your full booking amount.

Is it not quite clear yet or do you have questions? Please contact us via support@bookatrekking.com. We are happy to help you.