Once I had forded the river and walked on a mile or so, I found the shrine down near the fast-flowing Allt Cailliche, to the left of the narrowing path. Glen Lyon, Glen Lochay, Killin, Loch Tay circuit . Once across the bridge, turn left and across the small ford and the bothy is just a couple of minutes away. When we first produced this page we noted that, apart from the road south from Bridge of Balgie, Glen Lyon was a cul de sac. The loch glistened on my left and waterfalls and tiny streams tumbled down the mountains on my right. Aberfeldy, Kenmore, Fearnan circuit. The head of Glen Lyon is an intriguing place, with the far end of the loch being only four miles from Bridge of Orchy and the West Highland Railway. From the hostel we walked to the station then north-west by very boggy track to the long stretch of water that is Loch Treig. More information. On leaving the bothy, retrace your tracks back to the bridge, but stay on the landrover track and head uphill towards Loch Pattack. A bothy maintained by the Mountain Bothy Association (MBA). Easy riding along Loch Lyon After the speedy downhill to the dam, it was a longish tarmac stretch to Bridge of Balgie, where I made a brief stop at the tea room to top up on cold fizzy drinks and take the edge off the heat. Visiting Cadderlie bothy with my friend and my son for his first visit to a bothy. more info >>> The Bothy ~ Located on a traditional Highland working farm and surrounded by stunning countryside. Enter your email address to follow the Days of Adventure Blog. This will include two reception rooms, six bedrooms (four with en-suite bathrooms), a family bathroom and integral double garage. The large double ensuite bedroom has a high backed mahogany king sized sled bed with luxurious … I know that 25 days holiday is precious and this itinerary helps you go away for 4 days, with taking off just 1 day off work! What is a Bothy? Sleeping up to 8 people, The Bothy Stable conversion is beautifully designed, offering a warm and inviting open plan 'bunkhouse' style accommodation. It’s known as Tigh nam Bodach (probably, in pre-modern Gaelic, “house of the cotters”, or “countryfolk”) and is a simple, miniature thatched stone hut in which there is a small family of stones shaped by water into sort-of human forms. I’m getting inspired reading your blog. The Bothy is a good location for exploring further afield, and Pitlochry and Perth can be reached within an hours’ drive and Glasgow and Edinburgh are within 2 hours. ( Log Out /  A bothy was originally farm accommodation for itinerant workers; now a bothy is an open shelter usually in a remote location where travellers might have need of four walls and a roof. Long road routes. The bothy is quite close when a sign for a bridge points to the right to take you across the river. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Her stories are strung out across the country like the necklace of rough granite boulders that she wore, according to myth. ( Log Out /  to the Invermearan Bothy at the south western end of Loch Lyon. Our lunch spot was on the shore before walking west up a beautiful narrow V-valley to a three-room, two-storey bothy at grid reference 296678. We ended up bivvying in a cave because the Barisdale Bothy was full and got caught in a late snow blizzard at the top of Ladhar Bheinn. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. But here, in her green, fertile and tranquil glen, I discovered only her gentle side. Cookie notice Tap Click "Accept and Continue" or continue using our website to agree to the use of cookies and data processing technologies. ... also the beautiful Loch Tay near Aberfeldy and Glen Lyon which stretches some 34 miles and has some of Perthshire's finest scenery. Sharon Blackie and her walking companion in the Highlands. ( Log Out /  Photograph: Malcolm MacGregor/Getty Images ... Scotland’s best Highland and islands bothy weekend adventures. ( Log Out /  At the bottom of the descent, a track can be seen joining from the right, this is the return route from around Loch Lyon. In Scottish folklore, the Cailleach isn’t someone you’d want to mess with. The old tales say she created and shaped the land, and fiercely guarded animals and wild places against human predation and excess. The beats extend to over six miles of double bank fishing and over 1 mile of single bank fishing with 39 pools named pools. The bog-trot continued past the end of Loch Avon to the Fords of Avon. The Faultline Trail is the ultimate Scottish end-to-end challenge, from the most southerly tip at the Mull of Galloway to the most northerly at Dunnet Head, in anything but direct fashion. fly fishing the dry loch 2019 galloway hills for wild brown trout - Duration: ... Glen Lyon, Loch Lomond - MSR Access 2 Tent - Duration: ... Camasunary Bothy on the Isle of Skye - … A worthwhile diversion is a visit to Mark Cottage bothy. Rising up organically out of the peat, as all such people’s temples would once have done, is the house of the Cailleach (pronounced KAL-yach): the archetypal Old Woman of Scottish and Irish mythology. A walk to a remote pre-Christian shrine leaves our writer reflecting on the power of a mythical Highland woman – and how she is the perfect role model for our times, Last modified on Tue 5 Nov 2019 14.28 GMT. From the bothy follow the path up to Loch Treig where you join a good estate track (NN320687) which will take you to Loch Ossian and/or Corrour Station, depending on your chosen destination. Our Hilltop Bothy is set in an exclusive location at 2000 ft. With our locally crafted interiors, bio fuel log burning stove and cosy lighting, our intimate Hilltop Bothy brings a small event to life. The river provides excellent fly water and can be easily fished without deep wading. An older woman who stands firm, who holds strong against the plundering of the land and its creatures. Loch Lyon (Scottish Gaelic, Loch Lìobhann) is a freshwater loch in Glen Lyon, located in Perthshire, Scotland, which feeds the River Lyon, a tributary of the River Tay. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. A merlin sped across my path at head height – one of many rare birds, including golden eagles, which are known to breed in the area. I still remember when it cleared looking across to Loch Nevis on the far side of the peninsular, a sliver of reflected sky against the dark land that has glinted like far a flung silver coin in my mind ever since. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Glen Cailliche is off to the right. As I walked back along the lochside, weary now and sore-footed, I carried with me the strength of these old ancestral stories; I’d found in them the perfect role model for the times. High quality Bothy gifts and merchandise. • Tigh nam Bodach is marked on OS Landranger map 50 (NN381427). Break out your top hats and monocles; it’s about to classy in here. At the far end of the loch is Killin and the Falls of Dochart, and a superb drive from here to the Bridge of Balgie leads to the top of Glen Lyon, the longest glen in Scotland. The path beside the loch was atrocious, very muddy and wet, but the sun came out! Peak and mix: adventure activities in Glen Coe, Scotland, Des res … the stone hut of Tigh nam Bodach, near Glen Lyon. :). Sleeps up to four people. And as I began to hear of more and more women around the world raising their voices to protect the Earth and its wild things, it seemed to me that Glen Cailliche would be the perfect place for a pilgrimage. The rain stopped soon after crossing the river and the sun came before I had my lunch. n a remote Highland glen, inaccessible by car, lies a unique and hidden treasure. The Bothy enjoys all the benefits of being located in the Highlands, while remaining very accessible; Perth is only 37 miles via the A9, and Edinburgh, Glasgow and their airports are within 90 miles. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. This saved a loss in altitude and a climb back out of Ardgarten. 2: Glen Lyon Ringfort Route Hi˜hland Perthshire is full of excitin˜ and dramatic landscapes steeped in history - and none more so than the mountains and ˜lens around Loch Rannoch, Loch Tummel and Loch Tay. Loch Lyon lies in Glen Lyon, that is the longest enclosed Glen in Scotland, stretching over 30 miles from Fortingall in the east to Loch Lyon in the west. Hightlights: 1 giant dam, 2 abandoned sheep sheds, 1 sketchy wooden bridge, 3 river crossings (let's call it a nice hike-a-bike) and the amazing views :) Around Drummond Hill . So it was that I found myself, one gloriously crisp, clear autumn morning, parking by the Lubreoch Dam at the end of the single-track road through Glen Lyon, the longest enclosed glen in Scotland. Cadderlie bothy is located on the banks of the beautiful Loch Etive. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Great rideable road, silent as there's only the way round the loch and the one mountain pass if you keep heading west. Except bookkeeping and membership services, the association is entirely run by volunteers. A view over Loch Lyon. Gatehouse ~ Enjoying spectacular views over the River Lyon, our Gatehouse is the ideal retreat for an escape holiday. makes a purchase. This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and The bothy’s name comes from the Norse, peighinn, meaning “pennyland”: 20 of these, each with a farm, made up an “ounceland”, an acreage capable of … Cafe Shop Design Stone Cottages Bothy Listed Building Smoke Alarms Good House House Beds English Countryside Interior Design Inspiration At the head of the watershed, the first glimpse of Loch Lyon can be seen. This No bike? Construction is to be stone and slate and the accommodation is to be arranged over one and a half storeys. Doune Byre Bothy is situated directly on the West Highland Way – a cosy little hut with sleeping platforms, a picnic table, chairs and a view out over the loch. In a remote Highland glen, inaccessible by car, lies a unique and hidden treasure. Not a problem! Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. She’s a fearsome character with white hair, a dark blue face, rust-coloured teeth and a single eye in the middle of her forehead; she whips up great storms and ice forms in her wake. Scotland Weekend Adventure – Bothies in Loch Lomond National Park, My Kilimanjaro Diary – Lemosho Route 2015 (Day 1 – 3), Ziplining in Costa Rica – 100% Aventura, Monteverde, ICS Raleigh International: 13X Week 1 to 5, From Britain to Brittany – First week in a camper van, Canoeing the Dordogne from Montignac to Trémolat, Cycling Spain’s Green Coast from Santander to Gijon, One night in a vineyard: Quinta da Padrela, The West Highland Way Part II | Days of Adventure. The Bothy is a cosy and romantic retreat with private hot tub and sensational views over Loch Tay and the surrounding meadows and woodlands. The River Lyon is one of the main tributaries of the the River Tay and enjoys a predominant run of late spring and summer fish. So grateful was the Cailleach for this hospitality that she left these stones at the house she’d occupied – with the promise that, as long as they were cared for, the glen would always be peaceful and prosperous. Joining a short section of surfaced road below the Coilessan car park, a quick climb leads to level ground above Loch Long. On this particular day there were no serious watery incursions into my walking boots, though you’d be hard-pressed to safely cross if you arrived after heavy rain. The Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area is a national scenic area (NSA) covering the area surrounding Loch Rannoch, Glen Lyon, and the Ben Lawers ranges of mountains in Scotland. Explore further and Statistics Area: Loch Rannoch to Glen Lyon Munros: Beinn Dorain, Beinn a Chreachain, Beinn Achaladair, Beinn an Dothaidh, Beinn Mhanach Distance: 29km Time: 8 hours 5 mins Ascent: 2560m The Route Introduction My munros of choice today were the 5 … Sharon Blackie’s collection of short stories, Foxfire, Wolfskin and other Stories of Shapeshifting Women, is out now (£14.99, September Publishing), and she is the author of If Women Rose Rooted: A Lifechanging Journey into Authenticity and Belonging (September Publishing, £8.99). Most bothies are old cottages and at least several hours walk from the public road. Beautiful Lyon holiday cottages, choose from hundreds of great cottages and self-catering holiday accommodation in Lyon and the surrounding Loch Lomond and the Trossachs area. Lyon, The Falls of Dochart, Kenmore on Loch Tay, The Queen’s View at Loch Tummel, the Pass of Killiecrankie, Schiehallion and Ben Lawers. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Holiday homes they are not. Maintaining a Bothy. Browse Guardian Holidays to see a range of fantastic trips. . Our Stables Bothy is a fantastic addition to our glamping village at Loch Tay Highland Lodges; ideal for the larger family or group of friends. The biggest stone, with a large squat base that narrows into a thin neck and is topped by a roundish head of pink stone, represents the Cailleach; the other two stones represent her husband and their daughter. Shop 3 miles, pub and restaurant 1½ miles. Around Loch Tay. Here you can find once mi˜hty hillforts, still commandin˜ fine views over their ancient dominions. Even on this rare rain-free day, I felt as if I was walking through a waterworld. At the far end of the loch is Killin and the Falls of Dochart, and a superb drive from here to the Bridge of Balgie leads to the top of Glen Lyon, the longest glen in Scotland. Glen Cailliche – most easily reached through the only marginally more accessible Glen Lyon – is home to a little-known shrine to a pre-Christian deity and to the remnants of a tradition of honouring it which folklorists believe dates back centuries. There they’d stay until the house was rethatched for the winter, and they’d be moved inside again at Samhuinn eve (31 October, the Gaelic end of harvest festival). If you have any questions, please comment here or email me and I’ll be happy to help! Bothies and bothying have been described as many things. Sleeps up to five people. The great attraction of using bothies is that there really aren't any rules as such. The track undulates as it heads round the hillside, Loch Lyon becoming more visible, before it drops steeply to just above the shores of the loch. To order a copy for £13.99 go to The Guardian Bookshop, Looking for a holiday with a difference? The folk tradition here says that the Cailleach and her family were once given shelter in the glen during a period of heavy snow; they liked it, and so stayed a while. High quality Bothy inspired Art Prints by independent artists and designers from around the world. Using a Bothy. Glen Cailliche – most easily reached through the only marginally more accessible Glen Lyon – is home to a little-known shrine to a pre-Christian deity and to the remnants of a tradition of honouring it which folklorists believe dates back centuries. I’d have been bitterly disappointed if I’d come so far and then been forced to turn around. This small shrine was constructed by the local people and every Bealtainn (1 May, the Gaelic May Day) the three stones that represented the three deities would be taken out of the house and placed facing down the glen. Medium road routes. This is a serious bikepacking challenge, covering over 730 miles (1,175 km) of Scotland’s most remote moorlands, spectacular loch networks, testing mountains and pine-fresh forests. Ever going gravelroad bypass Loch Lyon on the south side. There are two cairns - the first has a stunning view up Glen Lyon flanked by all its ranges, whilst the second - the true summit - has a broken trig point and a view over Loch Rannoch. But your walls are better. Sleeping up to 8 adults, The Bothy Stable conversion is beautifully designed, offering a warm and inviting open plan 'bunkhouse' style accommodation. The Stables Bothy with Hot Tub. Tummel Bridge, Kinloch Rannoch circuit. more info >>> Riverside Cottage ~ Located on the banks of the River Lyon at Bridge of Balgie. Time to plan some adventures!! Our Stables Bothy is a fantastic addition to our glamping village at Loch Tay Highland Lodges; ideal for the larger family or group of friends. As I sat for a while by the carefully constructed dwelling, my only companions were a few curious sheep and a pair of thuggish ravens clattering around the slopes of Beinn a’Chreachain. Glen Cailliche is off to the right. On a more positive note, the bothy (NN289634) at Loch Chiarain is a welcome sight. Printed on 100% cotton watercolour textured paper, Art Prints would be at home in any gallery. HILLTOP BOTHY. After a short rest at the fords I set off on a long solitary trek down Glen Avon. Change ). It’s a long enough walk but not especially difficult; the only challenge presents itself when you come to Allt Meran, a plucky little river that has to be crossed before you can carry on west into Glen Cailliche. Around the River Lyon. Someone had left rice and dried apricots in one of the rooms. No other trekkers joined us for the night whilst we cooked up a hearty dinner of … Glen Lyon, Ben Lawers and Loch Tay circuit . A view over Loch Lyon. 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Tranquil glen, inaccessible by car, lies a unique and hidden treasure a copy £13.99... The world in Scottish folklore, the first glimpse of Loch Lyon by countryside! 3 miles, pub and restaurant 1½ miles maintained by the Mountain bothy association ( MBA ) which we. Bridge points to the Guardian Bookshop, Looking for a bridge points the! Has a high backed mahogany king sized sled bed with luxurious … What is a welcome.... Explore further and on a traditional Highland working farm and surrounded by stunning countryside is just a couple of away. Prints by independent artists and designers from around the world: Malcolm MacGregor/Getty...! Cottage bothy Prints by independent artists and designers from around the world from the public..