Some Surprises in Highland Perthsire

Last week saw me setting out again armed with GPS, maps and voice recorder, this time heading for Perthshire to research some new routes round Blair Atholl, and from Pitlochry to Kinloch Rannoch by way of Aberfeldy and Fortingall.

Fortingall was a new one for me - a designed village very much in the Arts and Crafts style, unusual for the Highlands and with its thatched cottages very reminiscent in a way of my jaunt to the Cotswolds a little while back. It's also home to allegedly the oldest living thing in Europe - the Fortingall Yew. Legend spuriously states that this was the birthplace of Pontius Pilate. Not sure about that, but if it were to be so, he could have carved his name on this tree.
One of the delights of Perthsire is it's woods and trees. Superb specimins of Wellingtonia and other Giant Redwood type trees litter the countryside, not just at the major sites like Blair Castle but all over the place - along the road from Fortingall to Coshieville there were some splendid entish monoliths. The glens are home to superb oak and beech woods, in the pass of Killiecrancie and Glen Tilt being notable, and there's plenty of conifer action too.

One fine morning passing through the village of Strathtay I chanced upon this little fellow dashing about in the winter sunshine. He wasn't at all put out by my presence and just carried on doing his stuff whilst I rummaged for my camera. Made me wonder where my Tufty Club badge was. Showing my age here!

It's been a mildish wet windy winter and there hasn't been too much snow, and the day I walked from Fortingall over to Kinloch Rannoch I was surprised to find the normally clear track obliterated by fields of iron hard icy snow at the relatively lowly elevation of about 600 metres. For half an hour or so I wished I had been carrying crampons. The route passed the slightly tatty bothy at Glenmore and then round the western nose of Schiehallion to a rather splendid hidden shepherd's hut. Put a stove in the fireplace and I could live there!

Full marks should go to the Quaich Cafe in Aberfeldy for supplying me with a fine bucket-sized coffee, and also for Raj at the curry house who was a splendid host with a charmingly Basil-like haphazard demeanour. A visit to Chillies was definately an amazing experience and not just for the food. So much so I went 3 nights running!