Wednesday 29th July - Poetry, Sculpture and Ruins - Trochry, 7 miles

A group of 12 walkers joined Trevor Abell for a walk that was new for all. It was centred on the Corbenic Centre, close to Trochry where they have their Poetry Walk. This is a 3.5km walk laid out in the woodland providing a range of sculptures and  poems to examine. To make the walk longer a detour was included to go up the hillside of Druim Mor and to view the old settlements of Pitleoch and  Salachill. These are regarded as important historically as they provide undisturbed examples of Highland farming setlements. The community did not leave because of the clearances but voluntary due to declining production and better opportunities elsewhere over the period 1780-1850.  We took a coffee break at Pitleoch and then continued to the Salachill site before dropping down to the Ballinloan Burn and returning to the Poetry Walk. For the last hour we were able to take our time examing the exhibits, getting back to the cars in good time to allow a coffee stop at the Birnam Institute.

An elaborate bench was found close to the start of the walk 

A ruin just above the Centre  

Just outside the first stretch of woodland to cross over an area of meadow

On route to Salachill after leaving Pitleoch 

This Poem took our fancy! 

 This carved stone needed close inspection 

Photos by Tom Reid and Trevor Abell

Saturday 25 July - Cloan Glen, 6.5 miles

It was a cool, blustery morning - a stark contrast to recent weeks - as 12 walkers met in Auchterarder for a circuit around Cloan Glen, led by Pete & Anne Trant.  We set off in a light drizzle, but with the promise of improving weather during the morning, and passed under the A9, past Bankhead and on to the minor road by Thornton House and under the railway to Lochie.  We left the road by the driveway to Cloan to pick up the gently rising path beside the Cloan Burn.  By now we were enjoying dappled sunlight through the trees as the earlier cloud cleared.

We stopped for a coffee break by the pool above the small dam in the glen, before continuing up the glen to meet the Coulshill road that we had left earlier in the walk.  A short distance down the road we doubled back on our route to pick up the path towards Bellshill.  Just before Bellshill, we stopped for lunch on the edge of a patch of woodland, with open views towards the hills to the north, from Ben Chonnzie, past the Sma' Glen, Little Glenshee and Glen Garr.

We resumed the walk past Bellshill and descended towards Foswell House and past the new builds at Eind to pick up another minor road descending to Butend.  The views to the north now opened up even further, from Ben Vorlich back to Birnam Hill, and we were enjoying warm sunshine.

At Butend we joined Johnnie Mathies' path to return to the A9 underpass and back to the start in Auchterarder.  Everyone enjoyed a return to an old Perth & District favourite walk that we had not visited for a number of years.

Photos by Pete Trant & Marjory Watson

Wednesday 22 July - Vane Farm to Lochore Meadows, 9 miles

The walk, led by Sarah Martin, started with a substantial climb up Vane Hill which has over 200 steps.  We then followed the trail through Benarty Wood to Lochore Meadows. The walk then took us alongside the loch and onto Harran Hill and then Benarty Hill, which also had a number of steps.  There were good views of Loch Leven and beyond.  We then returned via a different route back to the start.  

Photos by Marjory Watson

 Saturday 18 July - Blackcraig to Blairgowrie, 10 miles

After taking a bus from Blairgowrie to the start of the walk, this was a  linear route through Blackcraig forest on the Cateran Trail, led by Sheelagh Candy.  We then followed the Trail back to Blairgowrie  through Cochrage Moor, Middleton and Gormack farms before crossing the Lornty Burn to return  to Wellmeadow. 

Photos by Marjory Watson

Wednesday 15 July - Lomond reservoirs and East Feal, 6.5 miles

Pete & Anne Trant led a group of 15 walkers from Craigmead car park on a circuit of the Lomond reservoirs.  We started on a short stretch of the Leslie road before turning off onto the track towards Little Ballo farm.  Passing above the farm, with good views over Ballo reservoir, we followed the track before descending across grass to the dam wall of Harperleas reservoir where we stopped for a coffee break.

We continued across the dam before joining the Glen Vale Path heading west.  After a short distance we struck off on a shaded, gently undulating path through the woods, eventually emerging on the Bishop Hill Loop between West and East Feal.  This path was not known to most of the group and all agreed that it was a most enjoyable section of the walk.  Unfortunately, due to the hazy conditions, the promised views over the Forth were not visible. 

We continued down to West Balgothrie and had our lunch under the shade of trees before the Scottish Water plant at Holl reservoir.  Passing below the dam, we climbed steadily until Ballo reservoir came back into view when we dropped down to Balgothrie and followed the shoreline before striking back uphill to rejoin the Leslie road.  This final climb was an unwelcome but neccesary end to the walk on what was, by now, a very hot day.  Fortunately there was welcome shade beneath a large tree part way up the field.

Some walkers repaired to the Pillars of Hercules for refreshments.

Report by Pete, photos by Pete & Marjory Watson

Saturday 11 July - Comrie to Crieff via Torlum Woods and Knock Mary, 9 miles

It was a warm but overcast day when Fraser Mitchell led the walk of 14 people from Comrie to Crieff. The bus arrived on time from Crieff and the walk set off from Comrie via the Clan Loop path, seeing Cowden House and estate before arriving at Auchingarrich Wildlife Park (who kindly allowed use of their facilities) where we had our morning coffee stop.

Continuing steadily uphill with views out across the Strathearn valley the walk went through Torlum Woods, where an owlet was spotted, and out then onto the forest paths where the walk began to descend.  Leaving Torlum the walk continued over Knock Mary and through some very overgrown ferns back to Crieff walking beside the Turret Burn to McCrosty Park.

A majority of the walkers went onto The Steading for a well deserved coffee and cake.

Report by Fraser, photo by Marjory Watson

Wednesday 8 July - Castles and caves at Wemyss, 7 miles

It was a fine, sunny and potentially very hot morning as 14 walkers met on the seafront at East Wemyss.  With a cooling onshore breeze, John Andrews led us westwards on the Fife Castal Path to West Wemyss, where we paused to see the small harbour and the view of the towers to the west.

We then backtracked to the village and began to climb through the woods behind and above the coast, pausing to take in a quick look at Wemyss Castle.

We continued towards the outskirts of Coaltown of Wemyss and followed largely wooded paths eastwards before taking a coffee break under trees in Cowfield Strip.  After our break we skirted the northen edge of East Wemyss before entering Wemyss Den.  Dodging some surprisingly wet and muddy areas we paused at the upper end of the Den for lunch.  In spite of the conditions underfoot we were grateful that so much of the walk was in the shade of trees as the temperature was now in the mid-20s.  Emerging from Wemyss Den, we dropped down to rejoin the Fife Coastal Path which we followed to Macduff's Castle.

We left the castle to continue down to the seashore, where we passed Well Cave, Doo Cave and Court Cave on our way back to the cars.

Saturday 1 July - Sherrifmuir moor taking in Glentye Hill and Blairdenon, 7.5 miles

A group of 15 set off up towards Blairdenon on Sheriffmuir led by Elsie Carnegie. Just before the top of the hill, we stopped at a memorial for a pilot who died when he crashed his Gypsy Moth plane in 1957. After the top, we had a fairly undulating walk over some very boggy areas of the Ochils. Unfortunately, the cloud was quite low at this time so the views were limited.

We had lunch after we got lower and out of the mist. The last couple of miles were on forest tracks and a minor road past the old Sheriffmuir Inn back to the start point.

Despite a poor forecast, we made it most of the day dry and retired to Dunblane for coffee.

Report by Elsie Carnegie, photos by Ian Stokes and Elsie