Walk 33

Thursday 9th October

Alyth to Blairgowrie (Cateran Trail section 5)

Moderate

Distance: 11km/7 miles.  320m ascent.
Start: Bus leaves Royal Hotel Blairgowrie 10:00.
Finish: Royal Hotel Blairgowrie at 15:00.

Limit: 25
Notes: Moderate.  Stout footwear and waterproofs advised.  Packed lunch required.

Maps: Landranger 53, Explorer 381

About the walk:  

For those of you who have done parts 1 to 4, this is the final part of the Cateran Trail. There are two routes back from Alyth to complete the Trail. One returns via Bridge of Cally which means retracing the section from there to Blairgowrie done at the beginning. The other, which is used here, takes a more direct and some would say more scenic approach.

Leaving the quiet country town of Alyth behind, the route takes us first through the mature broadleaved woodland of Den of Alyth beside Alyth Burn. Although the trees are predominantly beech it has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its important oak trees.  The Den is also a remnant of the last glaciation, 11,000 years ago.  The ice melted in the space of about 50 years from several kilometres thick.  The subsequent mass of melt water cut many similar glens or gorges elsewhere though few as atmospheric as this.

This being Scotland, there is still a hill to climb, and it is worth it. It means the last few miles from Drimmie Wood are all downhill and will provide great views over Blairgowrie and its world-famous berry fields.