Arrival in Dunkeld. Fiddlers Path and Inver Path; 6 miles, easy, no significant elevation gain or loss

As you step off the train at the Birnam/Dunkeld station, you take in the crisp fresh air of the Highlands with the wild mountains of Perthshire nearby. You check into your beautiful hotel set on 280 acres, before departing for your walk. The well-maintained Dunkeld Path Network winds along the bank of the River Tay, Scotland’s longest and most famous for salmon fishing. A short ascent on the Inver Path leads to the manicured grounds of the Hermitage with its impressive Douglas Fir trees. The route continues to the edge of the early-mid-Victorian Highland resort of Birnam, home of the “Birnam Oak,” considered the last remnant of the great Birnam Wood made famous in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” You cross the Dunkeld Bridge linking the towns of Dunkeld and Birnam. The bridge was designed by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford and financed mainly by the 4th Duke of Atholl. Time permitting, you may peruse the artisan shops or admire the cathedral before strolling back to your hotel just outside of town.

Loch of the Lowes Path; 6.2 miles, easy to moderate, no significant elevation gain or loss, or Birnam Hill Path, 8 miles, moderate to challenging, approx. 1000-ft elevation gain and loss

Today offers several walk options right from the doorstep of your hotel. Our suggested route follows the now familiar riverside path to Dunkeld. While the beginning and end sections of the walk follow the quiet road past the Dunkeld Golf Club, the path soon leads to open country where great crested grebes, goldeneye ducks, and coots can be spotted. From this vantage point, you also enjoy views of the day’s destination, the Loch of the Lowes Nature Reserve. Here, at the Scottish Wildlife Trust visitor center, you can observe live and recorded footage of a pair of breeding ospreys who call the reserve home. You retrace your steps and complete the loop back to the village where, time permitting, you may wish to visit the Beatrix Potter Exhibition and Garden located down the street from the Birnam train station.

Killiekrankie to Pitlochry via Bealach Route and Moulin; 6.2 miles, moderate, 1,400-ft elevation gain and loss, or Killiecrankie loop via River Garry and Lock Faskally, 9.4 miles, easy to moderate, no significant elevation gain and loss

Today you transfer to Killiecrankie and your home for the next two nights, a small hotel nestled in forest and rose gardens. Today’s route starts with a gradual uphill section (approximately 2 hours) through fields of heather, offering some of the best views in Scotland. Before reaching the Bealach Pass, there is a challenging option (2 miles round trip) all the way to the summit of Ben Vrackie, at 2,760 feet. The path then descends to the town of Moulin with its 1965 brewery, which won Scot’s Pub of the year award twice, where you may stop to refuel with a hearty lunch and a pint of Braveheart. There are several easy walk options through fields and woodlands, including one past the Edradour Distillery, the smallest in Scotland. You may spend a leisurely afternoon in Pitlochry and return by taxi (at your own expense). A longer, but easier option is to walk the Killiecrankie loop following a tranquil route alongside Loch Faskally and the River Garry, ideal for bird watching and plant identification.

Killiecrankie to Blair Atholl and return, 10.2 miles, easy to moderate, 950-ft elevation gain and loss. Blair Castle Discovery

After a full Scottish breakfast, you head out for a gentle path following the River Garry, leading to the Atholl Estates and Blair Castle. The ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl, Blair Castle presides over the heart of Highland Perthshire. Dating from the 13th century, Blair Castle’s history extends over some 740 years, and it is still home to Europe’s last private army, The Atholl Highlanders. You may choose to join a guided tour of the castle, a fascinating historic introduction, before lunch at the local tearoom, a working 1590 water mill known for outstanding homemade soups, and scones. The return to your cozy home offers some beautiful open vistas.

Transfer to Fort William. Great Glen Way, 10 miles, easy, no elevation gain or loss

Following breakfast you depart Killiecrankie to make the stunning voyage (approximately 2 hours by car) west to Fort William. Today’s walking route is on the final section of the Great Glen Way toward Fort William. You walk near Old Inverlochy Castle, with beautiful views of Ben Nevis, and along the Caledonian Canal, with its “Pepper Pot” lighthouse and Neptune’s staircase—an impressive series of eight locks raising the canal by 50 feet. The largest town in the western Highlands, Fort William is picturesquely located on the shores of Loch Linnhe and is named after its original settlement around the fort, constructed to control the local population after Oliver Cromwell’s invasion of Scotland during the English Civil War. You may want to stop at the West Highland Museum, which has an interesting exhibit.

Cow Hill Circuit; 6.4 miles, easy to moderate, 980-ft elevation gain and loss, or Train to Mallaig (non-walking option)

A wonderful loop walk departs Fort William for the top of Cow Hill, with superb views of the surrounding area. Or you may choose to take a train ride excursion along the West Highland Railway through some of Scotland’s most atmospheric scenery (advance reservation recommended, please visit www.westcoastrailways.co.uk). The 1½-hour train ride to Mallaig crosses the famous 21-arched Glen Finnan viaduct (featured in the Harry Potter movies), and stops at the poignant Glen Finnan monument at the head of Loch Shiel that was erected in honor of the clansmen behind Bonnie Prince Charlie’s attempt to gain the British throne in 1745. The end point, the town of Mallaig, is a thriving fishing community and one of the gateways to the islands of the Inner Hebrides. You can see the jagged peaks of the Isle of Skye just a few miles away across the Sound of Sleat. Mallaig is a good place to have lunch, with many seafood restaurants.

Depart Fort William

You depart at your leisure after breakfast.