Innerdouny Hill, Glen Devon Forest, The Ochil Hills, Perth and Kinross

View from the summit out towards Loch Leven (click/tap to enlarge image)

The Ochil Hills between Stirling and Perth are a favourite place of ours to take the dogs. There are many quiet routes where you may see the occasional other walker or mountain biker or sometimes nobody else at all. I covered one such route from Menstrie last month. Here's another quiet route up Innerdouny Hill in the Glen Devon forest (not to be confused with Innerdownie Hill in the Glen Sherup forest to the south), accessible from a small, free car park off the B934 that cuts through the hills from Muckhart.

The summit is 497m but it's not too much of a slog as the path climbs gradually up to it. It's a there and back route of 2.85 miles each way (5.7 miles in total). The majority of our walk is via a good forestry track but once you turn off on to the path up the hill itself, there are some boggy / muddy sections. You can skirt around the edges of them and they don't present too much of a challenge but I would recommend walking boots. The muddy sections are rather more challenging after heavy rain. Some people shorten the return journey by cutting down the other side of the hill back to the forestry track but there is no defined path, it's quite overgrown and is generally very muddy. I wouldn't therefore recommend it.

You can find a Google Maps link to the car park, route maps and GPX navigation file at the end of the article. Information is current as of our last visit in June 2022. All images can be clicked / tapped to enlarge them.

Our walk starts at the Little Rig car park, approximately 3.5 miles up the B934 from Yetts O' Muckhart (click / tap to enlarge image)

The car park is small but usually pretty quiet

Our route follows the forestry track through the gate at the end of the car park.

This old sign (with incorrect details on it) was still on display when we visited last month but there is no longer a diversion in place. Do be aware of the potential for forestry works during certain periods however and follow any signs that are current.

Jasper approves of the route!

A little under a mile up the track, it branches. Take the right hand fork.

The view back down the track

As the route continues to climb, the views open up

Felled trees are evident from the storm damage earlier in the year. Around the bend, the track runs through a more densely forested area. Trees blocking the track have been removed.

The route exits the dense forest and opens up again onto a grassy track

Tommy admiring the attractive trees and shrubs!

About 200 metres from the start of the grassy track, keep your eyes peeled for this narrow path on the right by the fence

Follow the path along the fence and up Innerdouny Hill

Lots of pretty cottongrass on the hill

The path continues up the hill through a gap in a dry stone wall or drystane dyke as they are often called here

The trig point appears up ahead. No surprise as to who's going to get there first!

The top! Great views to be had all round.

Tommy looking particularly pleased with himself having conquered the hill!

All in an afternoon's work for Jasper and I'm sure he's ready to climb another. One hill's enough for the rest of us though!

A hazy day but still lovely views!

After a rest and time to take in the views, we turn around and head back along the same route to the car park.

Route overview and surrounding area (click / tap to enlarge)

Route detail - section 1 of 2

Route detail - section 2 of 2

Link to start location on Google Maps

Download GPX file (from Google Drive)

PLEASE BE SURE TO READ OUR DISCLAIMER WHICH ALSO INCLUDES IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.

Loch Katrine and Primrose Hill, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Stirling

Loch Katrine (pronounced katrin not katreen) sits within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park in the Stirling council area and has provided water to the city of Glasgow since Victorian times. It's a large and beautiful loch that stretches for 8 miles and is 1 mile wide. There is a sizeable pay and display car park at the Trossachs Pier / Visitor Centre. The centre has cycle hire, refreshments and toilet facilities. We've not used the cafe ourselves but I've read reports that it is dog friendly.

Loch Katrine is also the location of the historic Sir Walter Scott steamship that until 2020 sailed on the lake. The loch is the setting for Scott's famous poem "The Lady of the Lake", published in 1810. The ship currently requires repairs and is the subject of a fund raising appeal. Other vessels are however still in operation and run tours of the loch up to Stronachlachar and back. We took Jasper on the boat when he was a puppy but there now appears to be a £2 surcharge, with dogs restricted to outdoor areas and allowed on board subject to availability. More information can be obtained from the Loch Katrine website here.

Our walk takes us along the loch and up the less walked route over Primrose Hill. Primrose Hill affords beautiful panoramic views of the loch, without the crowds often encountered on the steep trail up to the summit of the nearby Ben A'an. The route then takes us back along the loch, via a short detour to Brenachoile Point (featured in the popular TV series "Outlander"), before returning to the car park. The loch side route is via a restricted tarmacked road which provides vehicle access to properties, so do be aware of the occasional cars. The path over Primrose Hill can be a bit muddy, so I'd recommend walking boots. The walking route is 7 miles long in total.

We last walked this route during the recent heatwave but did so when it was nice and cool in the evening; we even had a little rain. Something to be aware of though is that ticks seem to be a particular problem at the moment and climate change is making them ever more prevalent. For Tommy it's less of an issue as he tends to stick to the paths and avoids the undergrowth but Jasper is more of an explorer and picks them up quite easily. We also had some on our clothes along the Primrose Hill section as there are some ferns encroaching on the path at times. So do check yourselves / dogs thoroughly before you go back indoors. You can find more information on ticks at NHS Scotland's website here. Remember to bring some midge repellent along with you too, as there's also a risk of running into plenty of those at this time of year!

As always, route maps, link to car park on Google Maps and a GPX file, can all be found at the end of the article. All images can be clicked / tapped to enlarge them.

The walk starts out along the North Shore road, following the waymarked red Brenachoile Trail and green Primrose Hill trail.

View from North Shore near the start of the walk (click / tap to enlarge)

A little further along the road, you will pass the Glen Finglas Reservoir outlet

Ever the attention seeker, Jasper stops for another photo opportunity!

Plenty of great views of the loch along the North Shore road

Tommy approaches the loch to consider whether he wants to dip a paw in!

Just over a mile into our walk, take the green route up the hill, off to the right

The turn off for the green route is waymarked and the boys have already found the way!

The hill path is narrow at times and whilst it's not too overgrown, you do need to watch out for ticks from those encroaching ferns.

Approximately half a mile along the hill path, the path forks. Take the right hand, green waymarked fork.

As the path gradually climbs up and across the hill, the views become ever more impressive.

Follow the green waymarked posts, across the hill and back down to the North Shore road. Turn left at the road to head back to the car park.

A short distance back along the road, you can take a detour down to this scenic boathouse, with Ben Venue looming above it on the other side of the loch.

Half a mile along the road, you will see Brenachoile Point jutting out into the water. There are more views to be had from here and it's also a popular picnic spot.

Here are a few more pictures taken from a previous visit to Loch Katrine in November 2019:

The Sir Walter Scott steamship at The Trossachs Pier

View from a boat trip on the loch

View from the North Shore road

View from Brenachoile Point

Route overview (click / tap to enlarge)

Route detail - section 1 of 3

Route detail - section 2 of 3

Route detail - section 3 of 3

Link to start location on Google Maps

Download GPX file (from Google Drive)

PLEASE BE SURE TO READ OUR DISCLAIMER WHICH ALSO INCLUDES IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.

Loch an Eilein, Rothiemurcus, Cairngorms National Park, Highland

(Revised 23rd July 2022 to include improved mapping)

The Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands, is the largest national park in the UK and one of the main attractions of Scotland. It offers a wealth of activities, including cycling, watersports, snowsports, a reindeer herd, the Cairngorm Brewery, whisky distilleries, a wildlife park, fantastic lochs and mountains, one of the best locations for star gazing anywhere in the world and of course huge opportunities for walking, whatever your ability.

At the heart of the Cairngorms, near to the tourist hub town of Aviemore, lies the vast Rothiemurcus estate. It's within this estate that you'll find the beautiful Loch an Eilein, pronounced lochan-yellen and meaning loch of the island. The loch is surrounded by a majestic pine forest that casts its reflection in the water. The island that its name refers to has a castle ruin on it that further adds to the scenic nature of the loch. The loch is a popular location to visit and can be busy during the tourist season, though there is a large car park.

There's a low level circular walk of approximately 3 miles that runs all the way around the loch. The path is wide and pretty easy going with just tree roots and stones to look out for. When visiting lochs (and also ponds, canals and rivers) in the summer months, it's wise to be on the look out for blue-green algae which is deadly to dogs and also poses a risk to human health. The loch was fine when we visited last month. A good blog article on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) website that provides further information about blue-green algae, can be found here.

Our walk starts from the Loch an Eilein car park. As of the time of writing the car park charge is £1.50 per person or £4.50 per car. The per person charge includes a map, a free (and quite nice) postcard from the shop and a couple of Rothiemurcus discounts. The map also details other routes that can be walked from the loch. Further information on the Rothiemurcus estate can be obtained from their website here.

We followed the path counter clockwise around the loch, through the lovely forest. It's a straightforward route down to the loch from the end of the car park. As usual, a map of this walk, link to the car park on Google Maps and a GPX file can be found at the end of the article. All images can be clicked / tapped to enlarge them.

The loch at the start of the walk (click / tap to enlarge)

The island with the ruined castle

The route takes us through the attractive pine forest that surrounds the loch

Jasper thinking about going for another swim

Tommy exploring one of the side paths

"I'm gonna give him such a scare when he walks past!"

A final dip at the end of the walk

Route overview (click / tap to enlarge)

Route detail

Link to start location on Google Maps

Download GPX file (from Google Drive)

PLEASE BE SURE TO READ OUR DISCLAIMER WHICH ALSO INCLUDES IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.