Clan Trail
of Rannoch

Clan Donnachaidh country

Clan MacDonald

Clan Menzies

Clan MacGregor

The Braes of Rannoch

Clan MacDougall

Clan Cameron

Clan Robertson

Clan Stewart

A Few Attractions
Queen's View

Rannoch Station

Edradour Distillery

Blair Castle

Pitlochry Theatre

Aberfeldy

Castle Menzies

Rannoch Moor

Kinloch Rannoch village lies on the River Tummel, at the eastern end of Loch Rannoch in the Breadalbane country of beautiful Highland Perthshire ( Area Map ). The river flows eastwards through Dunalastair reservoir, which is part of the Tummel Garry hydro-electric scheme, while power-houses are situated at the far western end of the loch, and also at Tummel Bridge. To the south-east of Kinloch Rannoch, is Dalchosnie ( Map ) , where English invaders are said to have fought Robert the Bruce in 1306, and farther south extends Glen Sassunn, beyond which rise the peaks of the extensive 3,000 ft Carn Mairg group of mountains.

Rannoch was devastated by government troops after the 1745 rebellion. The Atholl Brigade, the fighting men from Tummelside suffered the greatest number of casuaties at Culloden. The government knew that the Jacobite flame burned fiercely in this area, and they intended to put it out for good. The fugitive Jacobites hiding in the hills and forests could only watch from the crags above as their homes were destroyed.

The settlement of Kinloch Rannoch ( village map ) originated after the 1745 rebellion. It is odd, that since Kinloch means head of the loch, the village should be situated at the foot. Similarly, as most Scottish rivers are named after the loch from which they originate, it would be have been expected that the River Tummel would have been named Rannoch. After the 1745 rebellion government Redcoats built roads from Tummel Bridge and around the side of Schiehallion. The River Tummel was then bridged at the settlement of Kinloch Rannoch. At first, the village was to have been populated by retired soldiers who would have been available to guard against further rebellions, but retired soldiers proved unsuited to the slow pace of Highland crofting life. Thus, for the first time, Rannoch inhabitants were given leases to their very own few acres of land. At one time it was intended to drive a road across Rannoch Moor to Glencoe and thus make Kinloch Rannoch the central hub of the Highlands of Scotland. Redcoats did indeed build a few miles of road westwards from their barracks at the head of loch but were unable to drain the desolate Rannoch Moor.

One of the most famous men of that time was Dugald Buchanan who was born, in the early part of the eighteenth century, in the parish of Balquhidder, Perthshire. Little is known of Dugald until he was found keeping a small school in a hamlet of his native county, and in possession of much local fame as a writer of devotional and pious verses. Some infuential persons, struck by his talents, interested themselves in his fate, and soon obtained for him the prominent position of schoolmaster and lay preacher at Kinloch Rannoch, on the establishment of the society for propagating Christian knowledge.

When he first went to live in Kinloch Rannoch, the locals were so uncivil, from the lack of religious instruction, that they hardly recognised the sacred nature of the Sabbath. They were in the habit of meeting at different places, on that day, to amuse themselves with football and other sports. The parish clergyman visited them once every three weeks; but, from the size of the parish, he seems to have been unable to exercise any proper control over them. Buchanan, it is said, invited them all to come and enjoy their Sunday recreations with him, and when they arrived, began to perform divine worship, which he seasoned with a lecture on the sin of Sabbath-breaking. Though many were put off at first, all of them became at length convinced of the error of their ways, and Buchanan in time brought them into a state of high religious culture, the effects of which are said to be visible to this day in Rannoch. Dugald was, by all accounts, very tender-hearted, insomuch, that when he heard a pathetic tale recounted, he could not abstain from weeping. He was equally subject to shed tears when his heart was excited with joy, gratitude, and admiration. In his conversation, he was known as modest, mild, and unassuming, and distinguished by great affability. His poems and hymns, which have been repeatedly printed, are equal to any in the Gaelic language. He died, on the 2nd of July, 1768, under very painful circumstances. On returning home from a long journey, he found two of his children lying sick of a fever. Shortly after, six more of them were seized by it, together with himself and two of his servants. While his family lay in this sad condition, his wife could prevail upon no one to engage in her service, and being herself in a peculiarly delicate condition, she was unable to do much for their comfort. The poor poet soon became delirious, and, in a few days, he and all his family were swept off, leaving only his wife to lament his fate, and her own melancholy condition. Dugald Buchanan was laid to rest in Balquhidder and a monument in his memory was erected in the centre of Kinloch Rannoch.

Loch Rannoch has well-wooded roads on both north and south shores, these roads converging some five miles east of the remote Rannoch Railroad Station, which lies almost on the Argyll border. Near the point where the roads meet, a mansion, known as The Barracks, was erected for the troops after the '45. The desolate expanse of Rannoch Moor stretches westwards from the railhead, and contains Loch Laidon and Loch Ba. Beyond the ridge of the Black Corries are the large Blackwater Reservoir and the small Lochan a Chlaidheimh, the latter associated with a sword thrown into its waters by a 15th century Earl of Atholl in connection with a land claim against the Camerons.

From the Moor, views of the lofty Black Mount, the Glencoe and the Grampian mountains may be obtained. This country has been graphically described in R. L. Stevenson's " Kidnapped. " Northwards from Loch Rannoch, and linked by a tunnel aqueduct, lies the lonely Loch Ericht, overlooked by the fine peak of Ben Alder, 3,757 ft, but not accessible by road except at the far north-east extremity near Dalwhinnie. To the south-east of Kinloch Rannoch rises the sharp quartzite cone of Schiehallion, 3,547 ft., one of the best known landmarks and viewpoints in the Central Highlands, and the focal point in the panorama from the famous Queen's View near Loch Tummel.

Schiehallion, whose name means either 'the Maiden's Pap' or the 'Seat of the Caledonian Fairies' or the 'Fairy Hill of the Caledonians', is one of the most romantic and interesting mountains in Scotland. On the east side of the mountain lies the Maiden's Well, where on the first of May, the girls from local villages would dance and drink to bring health and good fortune for the year to come. Schiehallion also has place in scientific history, as it was on its slopes that an attempt was made to measure the mass of the earth using the displacement of a pendulum, by the then Astronomer-Royal, Nevil Maskelyne. Schiehallion Mountain was chosen for this purpose due to its isolation and conical shape. Coincidentally, many calculations to work out the absolute geographical centre of Scotland arrive at spots very close to this hill. Among those helping Maskelyne was William Mason who invented the contour line. Mason gave his name to the 'Mason-Dixon Line' which marked the boundary of the northern and southern states of America.

Beyond Schiehallion, to the west, is Geal Charn, 2,593 ft., which rises at the head of Gleann Mor. From the south shores of Loch Rannoch, on the edge of the Black Wood of Rannoch, where the native Caledonian pine is still to be seen growing, a path leads over the hills giving access to Glen Lyon. Beyond the reservoir, to the east of the village, a road diverges northwards, climbing to over 1,000 ft., and later descending through Glen Erochy to reach Struan in Glen Garry. Another road climbs steeply on to the moors to the south-east of Kinloch Rannoch, and after passing the ruined St. Blane's Chapel at Lassintullich, goes close to the lower slopes of Schiehallion on the way to the little Loch Kinardochy near White Bridge.

St. Blane was the first missionary to visit Rannoch. He established his cell in the old Druid’s Grove of Lassintullich ( Map ) where the early inhabitants worshipped by the ancient standing stone. Here also was the sacred healing well which became known as St. Peter’s Well which had been commonly used in pagan times. His church was built on the place which has become known as Tom an t Seipel or Chapel Hill, and it was consecrated with sacred dust from lona. The present ruin occupies the site of the ancient chapel and the present building recalls the primitive architecture of the Celts with its small round headed window. The standing stone has been inscribed with a cross by the Christians in later years. St. Blane died in AD 590.

St. Chad who gave his name to Innerhadden ( Map ) was said to have found the people of this area in a sad state but he laboured in the fields with them and encouraged them so that it was said that he brought a new hope to one and all. The grave yard said to be the site of his cell is set in a most peaceful and beautiful grove overlooked by Schichallion. He had many other cells to visit but he came to Rannoch once a year.

St. Moluag had a reputation for long journeys and it is not surprising that he had frequent visits to this region. Both Dunalastair and Carie claim to have connections with him.

St. Conan consecrated the old church of St. Conan’s with the sacred dust from The Isle of lona. Killichonan ( Map ) burial ground is said to be the old churchyard. A St. Congan is also mentioned as having been buried here so there may be a confusion of names.

Other burial grounds in Rannoch have the names of Saints attached to them; St. Lukes at Dunalastair with its ancient spring called Argentine; St. Michaels of Camghouran and St. Maronaig of Carie being examples. Although some say that there would appear to be more saints than sinners in Rannoch at that time, there is no doubt that these men brought great benefit to the area.
In later days the graveyards became particular clan burial grounds. Killichonan contains the MacGregors, St. Michael’s, the Camerons, St. Lukes the Robertsons and Innerhadden and Lassintullich the Stewarts.

Rannoch is without doubt one of the most interesting, scenic, and rewarding parts of Scotland. Despite its wild and unspoilt beauty it is quite accessible being only 50 miles from Perth, a small mileage as far as the Highlands are concerned. Kinloch Rannoch itself makes an excellent base for enjoying wild scenery and yet at the same time being well situated to explore Rannoch Station, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Killiecrankie, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy, Kenmore, Killin, Perth, Kenmore, Glen Lyon, Fortingall, Castle Menzies, Moulin, Edradour Distillery etc. Wonderful walks abound in Rannoch and there are opportunities to fish and golf in the surrounding area.