Ben Vrackie and other Pitlochry routes

Hi, I’m after some route advice please!

I have previously been up over the saddle at Ben Vrackie (well, Meall na h-Aodainn Moire) from south to north – is it better going the other way i.e. riding up out of Killiecrankie? And is it worth going round Loch a Choire?

Secondly, is there a good way to get up to Killiecrankie? Last time I think we just followed our noses back along the river and Loch Faskally.

Finally, there’s a path marked from the mast at An Suidhe (south of Pitlochry) up to Creag a Choire and back through Clunie Wood – is this worth a punt?

Cheers, Kit

bump!

Havn’t been near Ben Vrackie but have a look at this thread for suggestions to link.

I would go up the river on the east side, scout along loch Faskally then over the Garry bridge up the road to Tenachry then pick up the awesome singletrack descent to killiecrankie that starts behind the church and is shown on a 1:25000 maps. Read the notes in the above thread as its easy to go wrong.

I’d be interested in what the path up to Creag a Choire is like if you try it.

Kit not sure If Its what your after and Its possibly the route you did but I started at Blair Atholl then passed KK visitor centre crossed road and went under the A9 , followed the path up to the top of the forest and mast then dropped down to Pitlochry GC. Picked up the path to Ben Vrackie but tailed off to the left then dropped down the great singletrack path to KK again. In regards to doing It backwards I think It would be really muddy as your are going through boggy farmers fields etc.

I got a handy little route map from Escape Route In Pitlochry where the staff were very helpful.

Finally, there’s a path marked from the mast at An Suidhe (south of Pitlochry) up to Creag a Choire and back through Clunie Wood – is this worth a punt

Yes – short but sweet – steep climb to get to the mast, moorland path to the treeline and then fast descent in Clunie Wood – tho last time we were there – a few weeks ago there had been tree felling and it was a bit a mud bath in the forest

Usually do at as a “warm up loop” before tackling the Fincastle side

I havn’t tried the Tenachry option (or the Vrackie side) yet sounds like a couple of good variations

Kit,

I’ve ridden the Ben Vrackie path the other way and I’d recommend it. The climb is hard in places and can be a bit boggy, but the descent from the Bealach na Searmoin to Pitlochry is great fun (best when the walkers have gone home though!). I’ve not ridden around Loch a Choire but I have walked it and it would be pretty good, I think, though you’d miss the first techy bit of the descent from the bealach.

I did it as part of a loop from Pitlochry to Strathtay via Rob Roy way (brilliant descent) then up to Loch Derchulich, down to Loch Tummel, riverside singletrack to the Soldier’s Leap then under the A9 to pick up the track to Ben V.

Sorted!

go and see the guys at escape route in pitlochry, they have more local knowledge than anyone and serve some of the best coffee for miles around

was up doing the Ben Y Vrackie loop with my 12 year old son yesterday: Perthshire looking totally gobsmacking in full autumnal glow…Did the descent from the back of the loch rather than the bealach path which has great single track; even better the descent of the hillock due south of the loch (gained by path left at boulders as you hit the loch??)
The great thing about the descent to KK is that the double-track is fully turfed and a joy to ride.
Did Balfa’s route and it was ace: Only there seems to be a ridable path from the Tenachry church which is higher than the one marked on the 25k maps as we gave up on this bit.

Thanks for the replies – got a route in mind now. Will report back next week, hopefully 🙂

balfa/chickenman, can you guys clarify which track I take behind the church?

The one marked on the 1:25k map is the horrible overgrown one that leads direct to the river, so I need to find one which stays on higher ground, from the car park?

Cheers!

There is only one path behind the church (marked on the 1:25,000 map that initially follows the fence line). It was perfectly ridable at the tail end of august. As far as I’m aware there is no path that goes directly to the river. The path appears to split in two early on. Don’t go right as it fissiles out very quickly, stay higher nearer the fence line. I did this but quickly realised it was the wrong way. I thought it was fairly obvious but I think chickenman continued downwards. The track starts at the corner of the church car park. The path along the west riverside is apparently unridable.

Thanks balfa.

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Pitlochry off road[/url] by Ginger F0x[/url], on Flickr

I plotted this out on the 1:25k, which isn’t clear about the path into the woods at the 400m contour down into Moulin. On this 1:50k, looks like you can go through the woods like I remembered climbing up, so final route will be slightly different (jimmy, HH, if you’re paying attention)

P.S. to be ridden clockwise

Another note on the bit after Tenadry. From your map it looks like you’ve taken the higher branch later on. When I said stay high I was talking about the first 200m of trail. Not sure about the later branch. It looked like a good path but not sure how rideable it will be on the uphill part. I went straight on at that junction. Both come out at roughly the same point. I’d be interested what the higher branch is like too mind! The paths in those woods were well built stalkers paths so might be worth investigating.

Also you don’t need to go up Dunmore hill. There is nice singletrack all the way along the shore of Loch Faskally.

Just found this thread. Yes it is worth riding up to Loch a Choire! The climb is better and all rideable going anti clockwise. The path around the Loch is techy but rideable, and there are a choice of great singletrack descents (which aren’t marked on the map) back down on to the LRT to Killiecrankie.

As per italspark, speak to the guys at Escape Route.

slight thread butting in—–what other routes can be suggested for area between Pitlochry and Dalwhinnie, that are rideable in winter too (ie keeping off high passes etc?)