Walk 16

Monday 6th October

Clach na Coileach - Kirkmichael

Moderate (to Strenuous)

Distance: 12km/ 7.5miles. Ascent 330m.
Start: Bus leaves Royal Hotel, Blairgowrie at 10:00.
Finish: Strathardle Inn at 15:30 - bus leaves for Blairgowrie at 16:30.
Limit: 25
Notes: Moderate to Strenuous. Hillwalking gear mandatory. Packed lunch required.

Maps: Landranger 43, Explorer 387

About the walk:

Clach-Na-Coileach or Cockstane, in Glenshee, is the meeting place of the Clan MacThomas.  They built their first settlement nearby at Finegand. One night a cock was heard crowing from the top of the rock which woke the locals in time to drive off a cateran raiding party. Although long dispersed from Glenshee, members of the Clan MacThomas Society return each year on the third weekend of August to swear allegiance to their clan chief as he stands on the rock.

From there our walk takes us up over grouse moors, abandoned settlements, interesting stone alignments and hill farmland to the village of Kirkmichael in Strathardle. On the way we will pass the ruined Whitefield Castle which was originally built around 1060 by King Malcolm III (Canmore) – the slayer of Macbeth. Later the lands were given to the Spalding family who built nearby Ashintully Castle in 1586 and Whitefield presumably was then left to decay. There’s a lot of history on this walk!