Five walks from Pitlochry, from the dam to Ben Vrackie

Pitlochry is a walking town in the plain sense: the dam, the theatre, the distillery and the woods are all reachable on foot from Atholl Road, and the hill behind the town is a proper half-day. These five walks run from a stroll you can do in shoes to a climb that needs boots and a map, in that order. Distances and times are the publisher's, named each time.

1. The dam, the theatre and the suspension bridge

About 2 km, mostly level. Allow an hour with stops.

Our own estimate, measured between the points on the route rather than surveyed. From the Atholl Road car park, walk past Fishers Hotel and the station to the Dam Visitor Centre on Armoury Road, then out to the fish ladder, which SSE describes as 34 pools. Cross the top of the dam to the south bank, call at the Festival Theatre and, until 31 October, the Explorers Garden on the hill behind it, then come back over the suspension bridge, past the Recreation Ground and up Ferry Road to the war memorial.

The visitor centre opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 16:30, and is closed on Mondays from 14 September. This is also the evening walk to a show, so carry a torch for the return.

2. Faskally Wood and Loch Dunmore

1.2 km or 2.4 km. Half an hour or an hour.

Forestry and Land Scotland's two waymarked trails both start at the Faskally car park, north-west of the town. The Dunmore Trail is about 1.2 km round Loch Dunmore on a firm, largely smooth gravel path with a few short, moderate slopes; allow half an hour. The Foresters' Trail is about 2.4 km on uneven gravel and earth with exposed roots, several steep slopes, some wooden steps and narrow, muddy sections; allow an hour. It follows the shore of Loch Faskally through the 19th-century model forest of Faskally House.

Forestry and Land Scotland says there is a charge to park at some of its sites, and its route card points you to Pitlochry for toilets and cafes. From 8 October to 8 November 2026 this is where the Enchanted Forest happens after dark.

3. The Black Spout and Edradour

5 km, 145 m of ascent, 1.5 to 2 hours (Walkhighlands).

The town's own waterfall walk. From the Atholl Road car park, head east on the main road and take the underpass signed Edradour Walk under the railway, past Blair Athol Distillery. The route turns uphill past a row of bungalows, under the railway again, and climbs through woodland beside the Atholl Palace Hotel's putting course to the viewing platform over the Black Spout. Walkhighlands describes the fall as over sixty metres high and at its best after heavy rain.

From the platform, a path signed for Edradour goes on with Ben Vrackie in view, past the distillery, then along the road and fenced paths between fields, back into Black Spout Wood over a wooden bridge, and down to the A924 into town. Walkhighlands says most junctions are waymarked.

One correction for anyone using an older guide: Edradour Distillery is closed to the public until further notice, tours, shop and tasting bar included. Book Blair Athol's tour instead; it is at the start of the walk.

4. Killiecrankie

A short drive north. Allow one to two hours.

The National Trust for Scotland's gorge on the River Garry, where the first shots of the Battle of Killiecrankie were fired on 27 July 1689. The famous stop is the Soldier's Leap, where the Trust says a Redcoat soldier jumped 18 feet across the river fleeing the Jacobites. The Trust says the site is open every day, all year, and lists the visitor centre and cafe as 10:00 to 17:00 (check winter dates with the National Trust for Scotland); the car park costs £5. The Trust's page does not grade the paths, so ask at the visitor centre which route suits you.

5. Ben Vrackie

10.2 km, 780 m of ascent, 3.5 to 4.5 hours (Walkhighlands).

The hill north of the town, 842 metres high according to Wikipedia. Start at the Ben Vrackie car park just north-west of Moulin. Walkhighlands describes the route climbing through beech woodland onto moorland on a well-made path, passing Loch a' Choire, and then a steep final climb up rough stone steps to a summit it calls a superb viewpoint. You can vary the return by a path along the loch side. Walkhighlands gives the route a bog factor of four out of five, so expect wet ground.

This is a hill day, not a stroll. Take a map, waterproofs and food, check a mountain forecast, and remember that in an emergency on the hill the number is 999, asking for Police and then Mountain Rescue. Afterwards, the Moulin Inn, which says it opened in 1695, is at the bottom with its own brewery's ales.

Which one, when

• Wet day: the Black Spout, because the waterfall needs the rain, or Killiecrankie, because the visitor centre is there to dry out in.
• October: Faskally by day, for Forestry and Land Scotland's autumn colour, and the Enchanted Forest by night.
• Before a show: the dam and theatre loop, ending at Port-na-Craig for the pre-theatre menu at 16:30.
• A clear, settled day: Ben Vrackie.