Walking The Rob Roy Way
- Follow the tracks of Rob Roy MacGregor - one of Scotland's most notorious outlaws and folk heroes
- Glens, mountains, burns, rivers and lochs make up the beautiful highland scenery
- More secluded and quiet than other more well-known walks in Scotland
- Visit historic villages in and around the Trossachs National Park, which is also home to golden eagle, osprey, red deer and pine marten
- Rob Roy and Jacobite related points of interest along route, including Loch Tay, the Macnab Burial Ground near Killin, Robert Burn’s Seat at the Birks of Aberfeldy and Balquhidder Church
Woodland Paths and Cavernous Lochs on the Rob Roy Walk
The Rob Roy Way walk begins at Drymen, near the southern shores of Loch Lomond. The trail leads you through the heart of Rob Roy country - the beautiful Trossachs National Park and finishes in the Highlands of Perthshire at Pitlochry.
You walk woodland paths through the beautiful Loch Ard Forest, which pass Loch Venachar, Loch Lubnaig, Loch Earn and Loch Tay. You follow a favourite route of Queen Victoria to enjoy the views of the majestic slopes of Ben Lawers and Schiehallion, and descend past the breathtaking Falls of Moness to Aberfeldy, home of the 'Birks of Aberfeldy' immortalised by legendary Scottish poet Robert Burns.
Centuries of Scotland's turbulent history - the Jacobean rebellion, local clan feuds, the background of Rob Roy’s stirring adventures - all add to the appeal of this delightful walk.
Your walk takes you to the charming town of Aberfoyle in the heart of the Trossachs, where Sir Walter Scott lived to research his novel 'Rob Roy', published in 1881. The area of Aberfoyle was home to Rob Roy and his wife for many years and you visit Balquidder church where he is buried. Nearby on Loch Ard is Rob Roy's Cave, from where he devised many of his plots as an outlaw.
Hiking the Rob Roy Way
Sections of this walk take in open glen and high level moorland. Occasionally, mist and low cloud in these areas can make visibility poor and navigation difficult. However, the vast majority of the walk is in bright open air, with only a few parts under cover of forest canopy.
The Rob Roy Way is not an 'official' long distance path, it has come into being through the best efforts of enthusiasts and landowners. This means that although the path itself is quite straightforward, it is not way-marked - so confidence in navigation is necessary.
The latter stages of the Rob Roy Way move downstream of the River Tay to Strathtay, from where St. Columba and St. Cuthbert led missions in 6th century bringing Christianity to Scotland, past Clachan an Diridh an ancient four poster stone circle, to the journey's end at the bustling Highland town of Pitlochry.
The Rob Roy Way is an easy grade walk passing through some of Scotland's most picturesque scenery. The route skirts around some of the highest and most difficult terrain and primarily follows glens, forest tracks, loch side trails with a few gentle slopes showcasing the more memorable views of the surrounding mountains.
The route followed will involve road walking between various stages. These are secluded roads, calm and scenic, and should not prove too taxing.
Path Walkthrough
The route follows tracks used by Rob Roy and his gang through park, moorland and glen – dropping Lochside and meeting historic towns and villages on the way to Pitlochry. Although the path is not as well way-marked as a National Trail, you should find the route relatively straightforward and not too taxing either, although there are ascents including forest tracks through Muir Park Reservoir and an easterly road heading high above Loch Tay.
Hill walking and an undulating route curve around Glen Ogle, but the vast majority of terrain on The Rob Roy Way is forest track, field and occasional disused railway line. Where forest tracks do pose a steep climb (such as toward the Menteith hills), you are rewarded with views over loch and idyllic southern Highland scenery. On your way you’ll pass old Victorian viaducts, ruins of old churches scattered across the Highlands and waterfalls near the community of Acharn.
Our Rob Roy Way Itineraries
Drymen to Pitlochry
Distance: 79 miles (127km)
RRW1
8 Nights
from £925
RRW2
7 Nights
from £810
Drymen to Pitlochry
7 nights, 6 days
Day | Walk | Distance | |
---|---|---|---|
Day 1 | Arrive Drymen | 1n | |
Day 2 | Drymen to Aberfoyle | 10 mls | 1n |
Day 3 | Aberfoyle to Strathyre | 16 mls | 1n |
Day 4 | Strathyre to Killin | 12 mls | 1n |
Day 5 | Killin to Ardtalnaig (t) | 12 mls | 2n |
Day 6 | (t) Ardtalnaig to Aberfeldy | 15 mls | |
Day 7 | Aberfeldy to Pitlochry | 11 mls | 1n |
Day 8 | Depart Pitlochry |
2024 Prices
Itinerary price: £810 per person, based on two people sharing.
Solo walkers supplement: £62 per person per night.
Single occupancy within group: £46 per person per night, for groups of 2 or more people.
Extras
Rest days/additional nights: Prices from £65 per person per night.
Recommended locations for rest days are Callander and Pitlochry.
Upgrade options: Speak to our team to discuss upgrade options for this itinerary.
Walk Pack postage: Europe - to first night’s accommodation, Rest of World - £30 supplement, (UK is included in price).
Extra Walk Packs: can be requested, please see here for full details and supplements.
Bank Holidays and short notice bookings may incur extra charges.
- Good standard accommodation at a mixture of guesthouses, farmhouses, local inns and B&Bs with en-suite or private facilities wherever possible
- Breakfast
- Luggage transfers
- Personal transfer between accommodation and path that form a part of our standard package
- Route planning
- Walk pack including Trail Guide and mapping, itinerary, accommodation directions and route notes, lunch and dinner information, restaurant recommendations and holiday planning details
You choose which day you would like your holiday to start on. We will book your holiday in accordance with your requirements.
Our Rob Roy Way holidays are available to walk March to October.
We advise walking this route between spring and autumn. The area experiences mild winters and cool summers, typical of the Highland region. We advise bringing suitable clothing for most eventualities, at the very least expect intermittent periods of drizzle along the way.
Bus - Drymen is 20 miles north of Glasgow city centre and can be reached by a frequent bus service (approximately 1 hour journey).
Aberfoyle is also accessible by bus but is served by a less frequent service.
Rail - There is a direct rail service to Pitlochry from Edinburgh (approximately 2 hours) and Glasgow (approximately 1 hour 45 minutes).
Rob Roy Way Client Reviews
4.8/5 based on 16 reviews
Nathan and Celtic Trails helped us to choose the ideal holiday for our group. Then organized accommodations and transport for our bags so we could just enjoy the walk and the scenery.
Susan, Austin - September 2024
Celtic Trails made everything easy...Main benefit was that you were able to book accommodation during peak times
Richard M - July 2024
Very good service
Alan M - June 2024
Celtic Trails have a good organization & service, described well with good directions and info, so nice to have bags sent ahead, all accommodations were good and hosts were very helpful.
Anne Janik, Colorado - May 2024
Arranging and booking a walking holiday with Celtic Trails is simple, straight forward and the pricing is extremely competitive.
Anon - April 2024
My family knew generally where we wanted to go but none of us had the time to investigate the logistics of accommodation and luggage transfers. Celtic Trails allowed us to focus on our holiday, and the accommodations they arranged for us were all lovely. We didn?t originally plan on doing the Rob Roy Way (rather the West Highland Way) but we wanted too late to book accommodation. All travelers agreed that we were likely even happier to be on a less-travelled route, and we were grateful that your staff (Nathan) took the time to point us in a different direction.
Kelsey, New Mexico - May 2023
We had excellent communication from Celtic Trails. Routes were well planned out - no suprises. Top notch accommodations. This was a well needed break for my sister and myself. We were sorry to finish. Fresh air all day - good for the soul! Met lots of other Walkers. Great Camaraderie.
Meg Horne - September 2022
Without any doubt, I would recommend Celtic Trails cause they're really professional and they provide you with everything you need. We chose the RRW because we wanted to walk the Highlands with not many people around.
Juan and Agatha - August 2022
Celtic Trails arranged a thoroughly enjoyable holiday through a marvellous countryside and graciously took care of all the nitty gritty arrangements. We had never been to Scotland - the kindness and hospitality of everyone was uplifting.
Bill Styer & Carol Anelli - July 2022
Celtic Trails are a good company for long distance walks. It was good to be outdoors and do nothing except walking. Maybe the Isle of Wight next.
Anon - June 2022
Celtic Trails will take care of everything. All you have to do is walk and enjoy the trail. We have recommended to others. Breath-taking scenery, time together with the whole family. The walk was fun, athletic; what a sense of accomplishment. The best
Georgina Sorrentino & Family - May 2022
We had an excellent experience with Celtic Trails. The Rob Roy Way was stunning and completing a long distance walk was the best way to experience the Scottish Highlands. Celtic Trails made the experience even more enjoyable and arranged some really gre
Georgina - May 2022
We keep coming back to you - verification enough that we would recommend you - this was our 8th walk with you. It was good to be out in a time of Covid. The Scottish hospitality was great
Rachael and Michael - September 2020
We have only ever walked with Celtic Trails and we would recommend them to a friend: knowledgeable; great information; respond quickly to questions. We most enjoyed: the scenery; people we met; food in restaurants etc.
D. Sturdy - June 2019
'We enjoyed the wonderful scenery, historical settings and sheep!'
Carol Prentice - June 2016
'Really enjoyed talking with people we met in the accommodation, restaurants, shops etc. Thank you for working with our time criteria as another company told us that they could not book those same dates'.
Jim & Joan - April 2014
Local Points Of Interest
Pitlochry
Pitlochry is a Victorian resort midway between within the Corbett, Ben Vrackie and Monro, Schiehallion. The area was a favourite of Queen Victoria's, there is a route around the River Tay known as 'The Queen's View'.
Pitlochry marks the end of the Rob Roy Way, adjacent to Loch Faskally and is home to Scotland's smallest whisky distillery - Edradour that produces just eighteen casks per week.
Callander
Often described as 'The Gateway to the highlands', the pretty market town of Callender lies outside an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' - The Trossachs National Park.
The town is also flanked by many mountains and lochs, including Loch Lubnaig and Ben Ledi - offering sweeping views over the whole area. Callander is reached on day three of both itineraries, with an overnight stay on the RRW1 itinerary.