Sunday, 17 May 2026

TGO Challenge 17/05/26

Day 11, Pitlochry to Lair.

Another fairly bright day with showers although, once again, I hardly got any. The wind was lighter as well, so a very pleasant day.

Pitlochry in the morning 

The Tay
Pitlochry was nice in the morning with nobody about as I walked out of town before turning onto a little road that climbed up to the forest edge before turning into a track 

Open forest track
The track went for nearly five miles through the forest in wide spaces between the trees making a very pleasant walk.
A deer fence to climb (at least there was some help on this one)

Coming down from the top
I had to climb a deer fence to get out of the forest onto a steep climb with deep heather. Unpleasant to get through but I reached the ridge and it was easier walking then round to the top.
Good track down through the forest
A steep heathery descent then and another deer fence to climb but in the end I reached the end of a track that continued all the way to Kirkmichael.

"Hut" blending into the hillside 
There is an interesting community of timber "huts" above Kirkmichael. Not what I would call huts but high quality Scandinavian log cabins all blended into the landscape, very nice.
Kirkmichael 

Kirkmichael Hotel
There is a community shop and café at Kirkmichael but unfortunately it was shut however the hotel was able to supply coffee and biscuits.

Over the hill
There is a path from here to Lair that is labeled as a mini Cateran trail track. The first part was straightforward to the track past Ashintully Castle but after that it becomes confusing, heathery and wet. I went the wrong way several times.

Where's the path?
I was beginning to despair of finding somewhere to camp before reaching the road but just before I got there I found a level bit beside the path. Perfect.
Sanctuary 




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