Highland Perthshire Walking & Cycling: Rivers, Lochs & Waterfalls

Bruar Loop

Start at the car park at the House of Bruar adjacent to the A9. Turn right up the old A9 to Calvine. After the defunct petrol station (check out those prices, I wish!) you will see a a green Scotways sign for the Minigaig Pass to Speyside. Head up this track. After the last house on your left before the A9, turn left and immediately right, passing through a little car park and you'll come to the short tunnel under the A9. This is a safer crossing than the one offered by turning right at the house. Now the climbing starts, steady and exposed. Fortunately, it's amongst a panorama formed by Ben Vrackie, Farragon, Schiehallion, the Drumochter hills and Beinn Dearg. It's also a good place to see black grouse and other upland and woodland-edge birds.
Soon you'll start the downhill (can be sketchy) to the former home of the laughing (read drunk) man of Cuilltemhuc (locked), found very pleased with himself in his bath, apparently. Head down towards the fords of the Bruar Water. These are generally low because of hydro extraction upstream. Many have been tempted to ride them and it can be done. Just look out for Pete Dogg's rock in the middle of the second (main) ford, it's a wheel stopper. Peter was (almost) uninjured but his expensive bike light needed intensive care! Anyway get across the fords as dry as you can and head up past Ruichlachrie (derelict with limited shelter) to the junction with the Banvie trails. Turn right and head down through the deer gate passing through woodland. Turn right at all junctions.
To attain the wonderful (and not a little risky) singletrack ending, turn right up the brutally steep but short path to the upper bridge over the Bruar Water. Head down the path along the top of the gorge (look out for walkers). If you feel the need to bail out then make sure it's to the right! Actually, it's great fun and you should stop frequently to appreciate the gorgeous (pun fully intended) scenery of the Bruar Falls. Too soon, you'll go under the railway and come out next to the retail phenomenon that is the House of Bruar.
Tips:
It's not suitable for beginners or young children. The gorge is largely unfenced. There are many other routes in this area.
OS Landranger (1:50 000) 43 Braemar and Blair Atholl
All of this starts a stone's throw from the A9 at Bruar, about 50 minutes north of Perth.
Do the route clockwise.
It's fantastic in a low sun, it really causes the trees to glow red. Best done early morning, evening or at night with good lights.
Avoid Bank Holidays: House of Bruar measures its visitors in millions http://www.houseofbruar.com/ .
It's all rideable. At the steep wooden steps in the gorge, keep right and you can take the chute next to them, there's space for most handlebars, you may have to shoogle a bit!
Nearest and best bike shop is the rather fab Escape Route in Pitlochry 20 minutes away back down the A9; http://www.escape-route.co.uk/. This offers all facilities, services, banter and sympathy.
Great camping, food and beer in Blair Atholl less than ten minutes away.

Birnam to the Hermitage

This is a really lovely, easy ride or walk that is almost completely flat, avoids roads, and takes you past some of the loveliest scenes in Highland Perthshire.

The Birnam Oak, the historic Telford's Bridge, the medieval Cathedral and old town of Dunkeld (looking across the river), the pretty hamlet of Inver and the stunning Hermitage (including possibly Britain's tallest tree) are all part of this route.

Great relaxed family cycling for a Sunday afternoon - or any other afternoon for that matter!

Tips:
There is a nice snack bar (Big Tree Cafe) in the Hermitage Car Park with good home baking - try the oatie biscuit... and plenty of refuelling opportunities in Birnam.

Loch Dunmore, Faskally Woods

A lovely, safe cycle route, suitable for families with young children around, Loch Dunmore in Faskally Woods. All credit to the Forestry Commission. Ten mins cycle/two mins drive from Pitlochry, Highland Perthshire. Take the old A9, now the B8019, north out of Pitlochry (signed Killiecrankie and Tummel Bridge) for about one mile. There is plenty of parking and toilets too. The route surfaces are suitable for small wheeled bikes and prams. There's lots to see and plenty of places to stop. The path keeps a discrete distance from the water and only offers a few places for access/getting wet!.
This is also the usual location for the famous Enchanted Forest spectacle each autumn: http://enchantedforest.org.uk/

Tips:
Parking and toilets. Picnic areas and benches. Just outside Pitlochry, the whole area is brilliant for visitors.
Faskally Woods are adjacent to Faskally Caravan Site: http://www.faskally.com/
Look out for kingfishers by the loch. Many types of fishes live in the loch including sticklebacks, carp and tench. Coarse fishing available: http://www.fishingnet.com/fishing_clubs/dunmore.htm
In spring the loch and environs are full of frogs and toads. Good place for newts (salamanders) and slow worms too.
Crossbills feed on the cones high in the trees. There's lots of Red Squirrels in Faskally Woods.
The route is designed to be done as a figure of eight and so can be halted after the first circuit if needs be. Older, more confident children can easily be accommodated by the network of informal routes throughout the forest.
Pitliochry is a major tourist centre with a vast range of visitor facilities. The bike shop is on the main street almost opposite the tourist information centre: http://www.escape-route.co.uk/

Faskally Woods

Older, confident children and adult beginners will find it fun and gently challenging on hybrids or mountain bikes.
Cycle out from Pitlochry or Faskally Caravan Park, it's ten minutes in either direction to the Forestry Commission Faskally Woods car park and toilets.
The route is a circuit around Loch Dunmore through Faskally Woods, starting at the carpark and toilets. The woods are the location for the Enchanted Forest spectacle in autumn

Tips:
The network of informal trails associated with this route offers huge potential to entertain the non-conformist, rebellious yoofs who really don't want to be on holiday with you anyway!
Sensible newcomers will stick to this route until they feel more confident! Over ambitious riders (usually Dads), who haven't been on a bike much recently, will at least find privacy when resting foreheads on handlebars prior to continuing on their chosen alternative trail!

Allt Sheicheachan Bothy Circuit

Probably best to get the pronunciation out of the way first! Sheicheachan is pronounced 'ee igh an'! It takes a comfortable two to two and a half hours in the dry with stops. Expect to get wet feet.
The route starts with a steady climb from Blair Atholl, up lower Glen Tilt, past the shooting range, out on to grouse moor alongside the Slanaidh Burn (a few water crossings but none is dodgy), before cresting the watershed (Haribo stop) and flying down to the Allt Sheicheachan (where the footpath to the Munro, Beinn Dearg, heads off). The route continues downhill to the burn crossing (usually best walked over (just ask Iain!)) at the bothy. It's Mountain Bothies Association sponsored and provides important and sometimes essential respite. MBA's a voluntary group and a donation towards the upkeep would be much appreciated: http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/ .
A path heads north off over to Glen Bruar from here but you stay on the track and head uphill, initially, to cross more grouse moor. The track will eventually join the Banvie Burn and lead you back to Blair Atholl.

Tips:
Maps- OS Explorer 394 Atholl 1:25000 or OS Landranger Braemar and Blair Atholl 43 1:50000
Sheicheachan is pronounced 'ee igh an'!
It's amongst mountains: bring appropriate gear for Scottish hills i.e. everything!
It's virtually all on land rover track with no singletrack and crosses several small burns.
This route starts and stops at the gates to Blair Castle, a genuinely great place to visit. Parking is across the road or up at the Glen Tilt car park (NN874662), which the route passes. Blair Atholl has pubs, hotels and shops plus a fab Mill where you can sip coffee and eat Rami's wonderful bread, bagels, carrot cake etc made from freshly milled flour.
The nearest bike shop is the incomparable Escape Route, ten mins away by car in Pitlochry, on the main street near the tourist information centre. http://www.escape-route.co.uk/
Do the route anticlockwise for the best downhills.
There's a huge range of routes in this area. Check out others on EveryTrail or just browse a map!