TR - The Cateran Trail 3-day backpack

[vghikers]

A 3-day solo backpack of the Cateran Trail waymarked circular route through Perthshire and the Angus glens in south-eastern Scotland, a varied low-to-mid level route following old tracks and drove roads used by the notorious Cateran cattle raiders in bygone times.

The original 64-mile (103km) route repeats the initial 7-mile (11km) section from Blairgowrie to Bridge of Cally on the return leg. On this backpack I took the documented alternative route variant from Alyth to Blairgowrie via Den of Alyth and Glendams, sometimes called the Drimmie Woods alternative route and signed as such in Alyth, that returns on a direct line and eliminates that lengthy repetition.

Full report & photos

[karl h]

Another cracking outing VG
love the inner only pitch, you can buy a kit to do the same with my Enan but being Hilleberg you need a second mortgage to buy it
You really covered some ground and I'm sure i read on your blog that you were slowing down and taking it easy

[richardh1905]

Enjoyed reading your TR - lovely country that I normally drive past. What is the tent?


I love listening to birds in the night when I am camping - even if they are noisy. Was awakened by a raucous crow in a tree by my tent this morning, but was then treated to a symphony of wrens, blackbirds, curlews, lapwings, doves cooing....I could lie and listen for hours.

[astaman]

An excellent trip report with great photos - as always. This is  a walk I was aware of but not thought too much about in the past but, thanks to  your report, it is on the list now. Mind you I would probably do it in four or maybe even five days to allow time for side routes and stopping to draw and paint now and again. Thanks for this.

[sunnydale]

What a lovely looking walk. The scenery is lovely!
Your photos certainly do it all justice

[Warbler]

A great report and fantastic photo's. The views from An Lairig look stunning.

[vghikers]

Thanks very much folks.

@karl - I only thought of leaving the fly in my pack due to laziness really and also saving a bit of time, but it worked out well. We have slimmed down the routes a lot on joint trips, but these long distances are possible for me on a solo trip for easy routes with no major ascents and long daylight hours.

@richard - it's a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1. We're well accustomed to birdsong in the early hours, usually grouse, skylark and curlew, but that sudden screech of the owl was blood-curdling!.

@astaman - I think Perthshire is usually overlooked, there is always a bigger draw elsewhere in Scotland. My route files and notes have been sitting in a directory for ages here.

@sunnydale - always good scenery and quite varied overall, an enjoyable circuit.

@Warbler - yes great views northwards, I just caught the last patches of snow.

[Mel]

Smashing write up and pics vghikers 

[April]

Great report and pics as usual vghikers 

I am wincing at the mileage you did (again!) you certainly covered the ground 

Our MSR can be pitched with just the inner but we have never done this because most of the time it is too flipping cold!

[Jac]

What a beautiful walk.
At first I thought it would be a great 3 days on the way to visit family further north - then realised your mileage! I'd need to carry everything for 5 or 6 days; no longer possible

[vghikers]

@Mel - thanks a lot, great conditions for walking and pictures.

@April - thanks again. The long mileage is just a consequence of an easy route over long daylight hours, a sedate average of around 2mph, no great effort ( I can't exert myself much at all since that pulmonary embolism a few years back). It was a bit parky first thing in the frosty inner, I needed the Microlite down jacket for a while!.

@Jac - thanks, a really good walk with varied scenery. My mileages were long for the reasons above and facilities/re-supply points are very limited, but well worth doing if you can organise it.