N140 Benedict Pilgrimage Path: Strathyre - Killin

Note 1 - Detour to Rob Roy's grave: At the crossroads with the "Millennium Milepost 739", we turn left onto the almost flat village road to Balquhidder. We reach this picturesque place and behind it also Loch Voil after about 3km (please also consider the return and plan about 2 hours). The hamlet has the remarkable parish church of Balquhidder, striking due to its rustic natural stone construction and housing art treasures inside, such as the medieval baptismal font and the tombstone of St. Angus. In the cemetery with many typical gravestones and the ruin of the old parish church is the grave of the outlaw and Scottish hero Rob Roy MacGregor, who had his home nearby.

Note 2 - Variant on the "Rob Roy Way" to Kingshouse: Instead of the bike and footpath 7, there is another route of the "Rob Roy Way" on the right slope of the valley. For this, we turn right at the intersection in Strathyre and take the path left up the hillside (about 80m elevation). Above the valley, the gravel path continues gently uphill through mostly dense forest. After about 2.5km, we pass a quarry on the right and attention: at the fork we keep left (lower branch), which then leads down the hillside in 2 large serpentine bends to the hamlet Kingshouse. In the hamlet, we go left under the A84 road. Straight ahead leads to Balquhidder with Rob Roy MacGregor's grave (see note 1) - a total of about 5km.

Strathyre village center - Kingshouse hamlet: about 3.5km

From the 'crossroad' with the "Millennium Milepost 739", we continue on the combined bike and footpath 7 and are now also back on the "Rob Roy Way". The path ascends gently and winds to a flat pass height. After nearly 2km, we reach another hamlet with a leisure center and places to eat (behind the A84 road). We continue initially keeping left, then after about 200m right, and after a few meters again left on the bike and footpath 7. For the next almost 1km, it goes along a stream we cross several times and where beaver dams are visible. We come close again to the A84 road, cross a ramp and a crossroad straight ahead, and later, after about 500m, cross a stream (Kendrum Burn) via the namesake bike and pedestrian bridge with the monument to Nigel Hester, a young music teacher who tragically died cycling. A natural path on a former railway line leads us gently uphill to a path intersection: Here, our "Rob Roy Way" (simultaneously also "Three Saints Way") ascends through several long serpentine bends for about 800m (around 80m elevation). 

Note 3 - Detour to Loch Earn and the town Lochearnhead: At the path intersection, we go right on the paved road and through the residential street to the St. Angus Church. At the intersection, we turn left onto the A84 road and walk it for about 400m. At the next intersection, we turn right and enter the center of the district Auchraw with hotels, restaurants, leisure facilities, and the shore of Loch Earn. This lake has a peculiarity, namely a kind of tide when the wind blows and raises the water on one side. For the return, we return to the last intersection, turn right, follow the road for about 300m, turn left onto the village road, and a few meters into the left curve a path turns right steeply up the densely wooded hillside. After about 400m (and about 120m elevation), we reach the - upper former - railway line, which we now follow right on the "Rob Roy Way" again (Attention: The return route was not walked on site).

Note 4 - Variant on the east slope through Glen Ogle: (Attention: not walked on site) From the 'large crossroad' in Lochearnhead - coming from the lake - we turn right again onto the A84 and follow for about 300m. After the houses, a path branches right to the stream (Ogle Burn), which we immediately cross and then follow above the road on the hillside along a faint path through meadows and past some farms. After about 2km - halfway - we go under the road and find, still faintly marked, a meadow path partly near the Ogle Burn. Some water channels must also be crossed, with bridges in the last part. After another about 2km, the meadow path joins the former railway line marked "Rob Roy Way". This path through the valley floor is a treat for true nature lovers and explorers.

Recommended main variant from the path intersection before Lochearnhead and after the ascent via long serpentine bends: We continue right on the now only slightly ascending former railway line. Here we enjoy in the first section - provided good weather - the view over Loch Earn and later into the impressive valley Glen Ogle. It goes for about 3.5km, then we reach the stately structure of the "Glen Ogle Viaduct", which nestles into the barren mountain landscape. We follow the railway line for another approx. 2km and pass directly by a small lake, the "Lochan Lairig Cheile". Another magnificent sight.

Kingshouse hamlet - "Lochan Lairig Cheile": about 10.5 km

Here, about the middle of the lake, we leave the railway line and cross to the other side of the A85 road. Over the next 400m, we cross the highest point of the stage (293m) and reach a car park. Attention: After another 200m, the "Rob Roy Way" forks (the right branch leads as a shortcut directly over the mountains to "Lochan Breaclaich"; we will reach this lake in the next stage). We stay on the left branch, straight ahead and now downhill. After approx. 1km on a paved path, a gravel path takes us through mossy and densely wooded terrain with wonderful natural formations. After another approx. 800m, we come to a cross path, where we turn left and go gently downhill for approx. 700m. At the next cross path, a large sign shows the way to Killin (2 miles), and we turn right. After approx. 400m, we pass under the power line for the third time, immediately cross a stream, pass above some ponds and a farm behind, and reach the first houses of Killin after nearly 2km. We turn right onto the A827 road and can admire the waterfalls of the Dochart River on our left for the next 300m. Then we immediately cross the bridge over the Dochart River. On the other side, our view extends over the now calm watercourse already out onto Loch Tay. After the bridge, we still see on the left the water wheel of the old mill; we go right through the village and reach after about 800m our stage destination, the parish church of Killin. There is much to discover and admire in the village and its surroundings.

"Lochan Lairig Cheile" - Parish church Killin: about 6.5 km