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ROUTE 8

Glen Almond and the Lochan Slot

Start/finish	Sma’ Glen: car parking south of Newton Bridge NN888314
Distance	22km/13.5 miles
Ascent	200m/750ft
Approx time	6hr
Max altitude	Glen Lochan 450m
Terrain	Tracks, rugged path, quiet back road

There is limited verge parking east of the track foot above Loch Freuchie (NN863388) for a pick-up or drop-off on a shorter route leaving out the less interesting bits. Sma’ Glen to the track foot via Glen Almond and Glen Lochan gives you 14km with 250m ascent (8.5 miles/800ft) – about 4hr.

This walk on tracks, paths and roads includes the most spectacular section of the Rob Roy Way, as well as some much less demanding estate tracks and 2km of quiet road.

Glen Lochan is perhaps at its best when the cloud swirls along the heather slopes, and wind rushes along the narrow hollow. This is a good, longish walk for a bad day. And if you do feel damp along Glen Almond, stop at Clach na Tiompan and consider how much worse it was in the Bronze Age.

North of the River Almond, start along the wide gravel track with SRWS (Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society) signpost for Loch Tay (14.5 mile away). After 5km, fork left passing Conichan house. In another 1km, a cairn with interpretation board marks the ruins of the Clach na Tiompan chambered cairn – no chambers survive. Just along the track, a new ‘stone circle’ or drystane sheep fank was built under Auchnafree Hill to mark the Millennium.

The Sma’ Glen seems too twisty for a glacial glen, and could be a meltwater channel. This supposes an earlier River Almond flowing north to Amulree and the River Braan. With this blocked by ice, a lake would have formed in upper Glen Almond, and overflowed to carve this gorge.

The Rob Roy Way heads into Glen Lochan

Before Glenshervie Burn fork right on a smooth track, to a bridge towards Auchnafree house. Immediately across the river turn right on a track running up to left of Glenshervie Burn and below a plantation. After crossing the burn, the track rises steeply, then bends left (into Glen Shervie). At this bend leave it. The old path is round to the right but simpler is to take the steep small path ahead, rejoining the older path after 50 metres.

The path is barely more than a sheep trod, as it runs along the steep slope above the unnamed burn. It crosses the top of the stream, and runs through the striking V-slot of Glen Lochan.

A dry streambed runs through the slot, and while we may be unconvinced by the Sma’ Glen, this is surely a meltwater channel, carved by a much bigger stream than the present one, the outflow of a glacier-dammed lake in Coire a’ Chearcaill ahead.

The path dips to run along the left-hand shore of a small lochan. It crosses the outflow of an even smaller pool just below. Passing over a ruined fence, you see the gate of the original path just below. No longer following the old path line, the path becomes rugged stones and peat. It runs along the foot of the southern slope, with the valley now wide and flat-bottomed, the bed of a former lake of which only the tiny Lochan Uaine remains.

Cross the outflow of this lochan, with the clearest path now running on the stream’s left bank, to where the valley broadens again. The path, now faint and boggy, bends left, to follow the foot of the northern slope. After 500 metres the path reaches the corner of Lochan a’ Mhuilinn. Just ahead it joins a rough track.

Follow the track downhill (northeast) to the minor road near Glenquaich Lodge above Loch Freuchie.

Turn right, following the road for nearly 3km. Where it bends left under power pylons, turn off right in a track enlarged as the access to a pylon of the Beauly–Denny power line. After 500 metres, as the construction track turns away, keep ahead on the pleasanter old track descending towards A822. It bends right at a mobile phone mast, joining the track of General Wade’s Military Road towards the ruined farm at Corrymuckloch.

The ‘Military’ roads were built after the Scottish rebellion of 1715, to make it easier to control the Highlands. General George Wade started the programme of road building: its crown jewel was the fine stone bridge at Aberfeldy (Route 40). He also joined Perthshire and Speyside through the Drumochter Pass (Route 80). His successor Major William Caulfeild built the ones that now make up much of the West Highland Way.

At Corrymuckloch the track bends left to A822, but keep ahead, south, to right of a wood and across open field; gates still exist along the line of the former road. Join the A822 at a lay-by to cross a stream; soon a gate lets you move down into the field on the right.

A hill track descends from the right, and from its foot the faint old track of Wade’s Road runs immediately above the A822. After 500 metres the track moves up away from the road and becomes clearer. As it descends towards Sma’ Glen, parts of it are soggy – Wade’s drainage has broken down after 250 years. The old road crosses a stone bridge to join the A822.

It’s only 400 metres back to the start, but the main road is narrow and twisty. You can climb the awkward fence opposite, and go down under larch trees to left of the road to Newton Bridge at the walk start.