Overview
The Rob Roy Way crosses Scotland’s southern Highlands taking in some of the most beautiful countrysides in the UK. The trail retraces many of the places central to the famous outlaw Rob Roy, known as the Scottish Robin Hood.
Starting in Drymen on the West Highland Way near Loch Lomond, the trail weaves for 124km through forests and hillside passes, alongside rivers and lochs while meandering through various large and small settlements until reaching the Highland Perthshire town of Pitlochry. The mountainous Scottish Highlands provide a wonderful backdrop along the entire route, making this one of Scotland’s most beautiful long-distance walks.
Our standard Rob Roy Way itinerary takes 8 days (7 nights) to complete the whole trail with an average of 21 km of walking per day. On request, we can design a custom shorter version of the itinerary, either more demanding or more leisurely.
The route is generally well signposted, with maintained paths and tracks. This package includes a one night stay in Drymen before the start of the walk and a single night in Pitlochry at the end; however, additional nights can be arranged to explore the highlands at your leisure.
- Drymen
- Pitlochry Church of Scotland
- River Tummel
- Loch Venachar
- Falls of Dochart
- Dewars Distillery
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Drymen
Today you arrive in the market town of Drymen, located on the West Highland Way and nestled below Conic Hill in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. It is easily reachable from Glasgow by bus. We strongly recommend that you book an extra night in Drymen before the holiday to have time to explore its surroundings.
- Accommodation: Kip in the Kirk B&B or similar in Drymen
Day 2: Drymen to Aberfoyle | 8.5km
The walk starts at Drymen Square, in the centre of the village. The route heads west where it meets and follows the West Highland Way for a short distance, before branching off and heading towards Loch Ard Forest and Muir Park Reservoir along a single-track country road. The route then enters the woods and follows a well-established forestry track towards Aberfoyle. The track leaves the forest and follows a quiet road for the remaining half-mile into Aberfoyle.
- Walking for the day: 18.5km, approx. 4-5h, highest point: 210m
- Accommodation: Forth Inn or similar in Aberfoyle
Day 3: Aberfoyle to Callander | 16km
From the centre of Aberfoyle, the route heads out of town to the east, leaving the road. The route soon enters the forest and follows the track uphill towards the Menteith Hills. Then the path passes over open hillside and moorland before re-entering the woods and descending towards the southern banks of Loch Venachar.
- Walking for the day: 16 km, approx. 4-5h, highest point: 256m
- Accommodation: The Knowe Guest House or similar in Callander
Day 4: Callander to Strathyre | 15km
After a hearty breakfast in Callander, often dubbed the Gateway to the Highlands, the route heads north-west along a lovely stretch of the path under the trees. Passing the Falls of Leny, the path continues alongside the river towards Loch Lubnaig, a narrow but magnificent loch which stretches for 5.5km to the small village of Strathyre.
- Walking for the day: 15km, approx. 4-5h, highest point: 155m
- Accommodation: Rosebank House B&B or similar in Strathyre
Day 5: Strathyre to Killin | 21.5km
From Strathyre, the trail heads north through Strathyre Forest, requiring a 150m climb before descending off the hill at Kingshouse and back across the main road. At this point, the route follows an old railway line along Glen Ogle, providing fantastic views of Loch Earn and the hills surrounding the glen. At the glen’s head, the path again crosses the road and descends towards Killin for around 5km through some thick forestry woodland. The spectacular and raging Falls of Dochart mark the arrival into the village of Killin.
- Walking for the day: 21.5km, approx. 5-6h, highest point: 295m
- Accommodation: Breadalbane House B&B or similar in Killin
Day 6: Killin to Ardtalnaig | 19km
From a point close to the Falls of Dochart, the route leaves Killin on the south side of the River Dochart along the Loch Tay South road before climbing sharply through the forest and into the hills. The track eventually clears at the top of the hill, giving fantastic views of the surrounding mountains. The route passes the dam at Loch Breaclaich and continues atop the hillside before beginning its descent towards Loch Tay. The route then follows the single track road along the loch to Ardtalnaig, where you will be collected and transferred back to Killin for a second night’s stay (no accommodation options in Ardtalnaig).
- Walking for the day: 19km, approx. 5-6h, highest point: 565m
- Accommodation: Breadalbane House B&B or similar in Killin
Day 7: Ardtalnaig to Aberfeldy | 24km
After a transfer back to Ardtalnaig from Killin, the first section is a 6.5km walk along the south banks of Loch Tay. Upon reaching Acharn, the trail returns to the hills, passing the beautiful Falls of Acharn en-route to the open hillside, providing wonderful views across the loch to the Ben Lawers mountain range. The trail then follows the ‘Queens Drive’. After bypassing the village of Kenmore, the path stays on the hillside on its ways to Aberfeldy, where the path heads through a mix of forestry woodland, natural forests and meadows before reaching the Birks of Aberfeldy. The trail follows the path alongside the river and gorge into the centre of Aberfeldy.
- Walking for the day: 24km, approx. 6h, highest point: 340m
- Accommodation: Tigh ‘n Eilean B&B or similar in Aberfeldy
Day 8: Aberfeldy to Pitlochry | 15km
From Aberfeldy town centre, the route follows the main road east, passing the Dewars Distillery, where it then follows a gentle riverside path along the River Tay banks. The route then meets an old dismantled railway line which leads into the village of Grandtully. The trail then crosses the river and heads north towards Pitlochry. As the path climbs and becomes clear of the woods, there are excellent views of the distant mountains, including Ben Lawers and Schiehallion. The route then follows a forest track and descends into the Tummel Valley and onto Pitlochry.
- Walking for the day: 15km, approx. 4h, highest point: 355m
- Accommodation: Ashbank B&B or similar in Pitlochry
Day 9: Departure
Departure by bus to Glasgow or Edinburgh. Additional nights at the end of the walk can be arranged to explore the highlands at your leisure.
What to expect
Accommodation
Nice hotels and B&Bs, all offering comfortable en-suite double or twin rooms. All places have been carefully hand-picked by us and their quality is regularly monitored. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view our default hotels for this trip
- Kip in the Kirk B&B
- Forth Inn
- The Knowe Guest House
- Rosebank House B&B
- Breadalbane House B&B
- Tigh ‘n Eilean B&B
- Ashbank B&B
*Note that hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel from the ones pictured above is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. You can have dinner at the guesthouse you are staying at or at the village pubs and restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
Although daily elevation gains are not very big, you should be prepared to walk on average 19-21 km or 5-6h per day. Some days will be more challenging than others and the terrain will be varied with some rough and rugged footpaths (read more about difficulty grades). The route is generally well signposted throughout; however, walkers must be vigilant as there are paths and junctions along the way that deviates from the main route and sometimes the trail is obscure. As well as the Guidebook, your package includes a detailed map of the full route. We highly recommend that at least one member of your party is a competent map and compass reader. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available to commence every day from 1st April till 30th September. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on the United Kingdom is available here (for Canadian citizens) and here (for US citizens). Some funny but useful travel advice about Scotland is available here 😊
Click to view travel options and route planner
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Glasgow.
By train or bus
- Glasgow: There are excellent air, train and bus services, allowing easy access from anywhere in the UK and overseas.
- Drymen: There is a bus line from Glasgow to Drymen.
- Pitlochry: The main routes out of Pitlochry are by bus and train to Edinburgh (and Glasgow if required). There is also the option to travel north to Inverness if looking to extend your holiday.
- A great website useful specifically for public transport planning within Scotland is Traveline Scotland.
Inclusions
Included
- Pre-booked accommodation as per the itinerary on 8 nights in B&B’s, small hotels and guesthouses
- Full breakfast each morning
- Transfers on walking days as detailed in the itinerary
- Door-to-door luggage transfers on all walking days
- Access to your digital pre-departure information (your accommodation list, GPS map of the route, baggage transfer information, itineraries, route information of cafes, restaurants, local bus timetables, etc.)
- Guidebook – hard copy (shipped to the first accommodation)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office / representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- Single room supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights along the route or in Glasgow available upon request
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