[ Looking over Loch Earn towards Ben Vorlich and Stùc a' Chròin]
Perthshire is known as Scotland’s ‘big tree country’ but has much more to offer than just big trees! - Mountains, lochs; rolling rivers and wild glens spring to mind as well.
I took some time out at the very end of February to have a wander around some parts of Perthshire I hadn’t really explored before.
St Fillans and Comrie
St. Fillans is a conservation village which is located at the eastern end of Loch Earn on the A85. St Fillans offers some lovely views across the loch to the
summits of Ben Vorlich and Stùc a' Chròin both of which are classified as Munros.
[ Looking up Loch Earn towards Lochearnhead ]
[ Looking up the River Earn towards Ben Vorlich and Stùc a' Chròin ]
Comrie lies on the banks of the River Earn and is in the heart of the scenic West Strathearn area of Perthshire.
Situated at the meeting of Glens
Lednock and Artney with the Scottish Highlands rising to the north. The focal point of the village is the “White Church”. Previously a historic church, the building was refurbished and is now utilised as the “Comrie Community Centre”. Due to its position astride the Highland boundary Fault line, Comrie undergoes frequent earth tremors and has the old nickname of the "Shaky Toun ". In the 1830s around 7,300 tremors were recorded and today Comrie records earth tremors more often and to a higher intensity than anywhere else in the United Kingdom.
Glen Lednock
Glen Lednock is reached via a single track road heading north from the town of Comrie
through Laggan wood. The track eventually brings you out to Loch Lednock at the head
of the glen.
[ Looking up Glen Lednock with Crappich Hill in the distance ]
[ Spring light in Glen Lednock …Creag na H-iolaire in the distance]
The ‘Shaky Bridge’ This footbridge crosses the River Lednock, thus linking both sides.
[ The shaky bridge over the River Lednock to the eastern Perthshire hills ]
This much altered and repaired bridge gets its name from the nearby ‘Shaky Toun’ of Comrie and also from the shaking sensation as it is crossed, although it is less shaky than it used
to be. The bridge is made predominately of wood, with steel reinforcements.
The bridge is supported at the eastern end by the twin trunks of an ancient sycamore tree. Unfortunately in recent years the height of the sycamore tree had given rise to problems with the stability of the bridge and the twin trunks had therefore to be substantially cut down to an adequate height to enable the bridge to still be
supported.
The Deil’s Caldron
The Deil’s Caldron (also known as the Falls of Lednock) is found in Glen Lednock. Here the river has cut a high, cascading waterfall in the surrounding rock, with pools below resembling a boiling cauldron. It is said that a water-elf resides here and attempts to lure victims into the treacherous waters.
Perth
Craigie waterfall is a rather unusual sight in an urban built-up area of Perth. The water of the Craigie Burn here was used at one time by a flock mill and a laundry.
The ‘Frandy Tree’
I took the chance on the return home to visit the Frandy Tree which lies in upper
Glendevon on the Frandy estate. The tree has been struck by lightning at some point and has become bent and twisted as a result.
The Frandy Tree … a lone ash tree split by a lightning strike ]
David Langskaill March 2024