Ben Vrackie and the Pass of Killiecrankie – Highland Perthshire

Rising high above the beautiful town of Pitlochry, Ben Vrackie is a popular and prominent objective that affords spellbinding views across its surroundings. Despite being a Corbett, its mix of accessibility and charm mean that it’s climbed more often than even most Munros.

This hike starts from Pitlochry train station, and heads north through the town to the village of Moulin. Follow Baledmund Road north and pick up a path through woodland. Eventually, you break out onto heather moorland, with the summit of Ben Vrackie now seen enticingly ahead. Ascend to Loch a’ Choire, which nestles below Ben Vrackie’s rugged, scree-covered southern flanks and is a good spot for a bite to eat before the final ascent.

The climb takes you to the right of the mountain’s steep battlements, before arcing around to claim the top. A viewfinder allows you to confidently name the distant peaks, with the Cairngorms looking particularly resplendent on a clear day. Return to Loch a’ Choire and skirt its northeastern shore, before venturing west through often squelchy heather moorland.

For a shorter hike, you could head south to return on the path you came up on, otherwise begin the long, lazily zigzagging descent to the River Garry and the Pass of Killiecrankie, a lovely wooded gorge. There’s a short detour to Soldier’s Leap, where it’s reported that a government soldier, Donald McBane, jumped across the river to escape capture by the Jacobites during the 1689 Battle of Killiecrankie.

Expect rich colours in autumn along this section, when the woodland is arguably at its best. The path follows the riverbank all the way to its confluence with the River Tummel. Continue along the Tummel, arc around Dunmore Hill and Faskally Woods and arrive back into Pitlochry. Here, find plenty of places to refuel after your adventure.