Drymen to Strathyre
Across the Highland Line
Lowland farmland gives way to the Trossachs, and the country starts to feel more like the Highlands than the south.
Self-guided · Perthshire
Your walk from
Drymen to
Pitlochry
You'll walk 128 kilometres through the Trossachs and Perthshire, along old railway trackbeds, lochside roads, and the floor of one high glen rather than over the summits, with the Highland Boundary Fault crossed early and Loch Tay running for a full afternoon on your shoulder. One of Scotland's quieter long-distance routes, and all the more rewarding for it.
- Distance
- 128 km
- Ascent
- 2,500 m
- Stages
- 3 – 7 days
- Grade
- Easy–Moderate
Trail Essentials
Start
Drymen
Stirlingshire
End
Pitlochry
Perthshire
Distance
128 km
80 miles
Total Ascent
2,500 m
8,202 ft
Difficulty
Easy–Moderate
Hilliness
Rolling
Time to Complete
Explorer
7 days
~18 km/day
Hiker
6 days
~21 km/day
Fastpacker
5 days
~26 km/day
Trail Runner
3 days
~43 km/day
When to Walk
Best Good Avoid
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
The Rob Roy Way is outlaw country — named for the man himself, buried at Balquhidder, and it runs through the glens and hillsides he knew rather than over them. It links Drymen on the edge of Loch Lomond to Pitlochry in highland Perthshire, crossing the Highland Boundary Fault early and giving you Loch Tay for a full afternoon on your shoulder.
It's one of Scotland's quieter long-distance routes, and all the more rewarding for it — old railway trackbeds, forest roads, and lochside paths for most of its length, well-graded ground without the technical demands of higher routes like the West Highland Way. Most walkers cover it in six days; it suits anyone comfortable with 22 kilometres a day and a couple of long afternoons, and anyone who'd rather walk for days without seeing another hiker.
How the trail unfolds.
Your trail divides naturally into three parts — not by day, but by country. Lowland farmland gives way to high glens and exposed moorland, and the high country falls into wooded gorges and a riverside walk to Pitlochry.
Strathyre to Acharn
The High Glens
Glen Ogle, an empty moorland crossing, and the long lochside road into Acharn — the highest, wildest country on the trail.
Acharn to Pitlochry
The Birks and the Tay
Wooded gorges, falls that earned their poets, and a riverside walk into Pitlochry.
Build your trip
Customise your Rob Roy Way.
Pick your pace, party size and dates. The itinerary, distances, nightly stops and the price all update live — no commitment until you're happy.
- Days sized to your walking speed
- Each night ends at a stop with accommodation
- Pricing reflects party size and seasonality
- Save and share the itinerary with your group
Hiker · 4.0 km/h
2 walkers
Days
6
Distance
128 km
Walking
45 hrs
Your day-by-day itinerary updates live in the Your itinerary section below.
Trip total
£1,498
£749 per person · 5 nights · party of 2
Build your itinerary above.
This is the itinerary you're building. Change the pace, party size or start date in the planner above and every stage, distance and date updates here.
Where you'll stay
Quiet village inns, all the way through.
We book family-run guesthouses and village inns along the route, including the Ardeonaig Hotel on the remote south shore of Loch Tay, where there's often no other choice for miles.
- Traditional village inns with a pub close by
- Hearty breakfasts before the longer glen days
- Booked early where villages have only a handful of beds
- A relaxed finish in Pitlochry with plenty to do
Every trip is planned around your dates and party, so we can't promise you a specific inn — but we can promise the kind of welcome that makes a walking holiday feel like a proper holiday.
What's included?
Self-guided, but properly supported. You turn up, you walk, you eat well, you sleep well. We handle the logistics.
A classic route for Spring and Summer
Comfortable accommodation
Local transport guidance
Clear day-by-day plan + GPX
Not included
- Travel to Drymen and from Pitlochry
- Lunches and evening meals (we'll recommend the best places)
- Travel insurance
Travelling solo? You're still connected.
Walking the Rob Roy Way alone doesn't mean being out of touch. We lend you a small GPS tracker for the trail, and a private map link lets the people who care about you follow along from home.
A lightweight GPS tracker
Carry it in your pack and it updates your position as you walk — no phone signal required.
A private live map
See your own progress on a secure map, with your overnight stops visible at a glance.
Share with people you trust
Send the private link to family or friends so they know you've arrived safely each day.
Book your Rob Roy Way adventure.
Your Rob Roy Way adventure
Configure your trip in the builder above and it will appear here.
Per Person
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Trip Total
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Deposit Today
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- Free cancellation to 60 days
- Confirmation within 24 hrs
- ABTOT financially protected
Not quite ready?
We'll start planning your trip right away. Not happy with anything? We'll adjust it or refund you — no questions asked.
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Big Trail Adventures (member 5690). Protection is provided for non-flight packages. Full details in our booking conditions.
Things walkers ask us.
How fit do I need to be?
If you're comfortable walking 22 kilometres a day with a daypack — roughly seven to eight hours of walking on a mix of forest tracks, lochside paths, and one stretch of open moorland — you'll manage the Hiker pace at six days. The Explorer pace at seven days softens the longer stages, particularly the 30km Aberfoyle to Strathyre day and the 27km Killin to Acharn stretch. No technical hill experience is needed.
When should I walk it?
May, June, September and October are the best months. May and June give long days and low midge counts; September and October give autumn colour and quieter trails. Mid-July and August work but bring Highland midges in numbers and busier accommodation. April is fine for the lower stages but the 565m high point on the Killin to Acharn day can still hold weather. Avoid November to March.
Do you include luggage transfer?
Yes, on every package. Your bags move from accommodation to accommodation while you walk with a daypack, with a 20 kilogram allowance per bag. The Killin to Acharn stage runs through a thinly-served stretch of south Loch Tay road — we plan transfers there with extra lead time. You'll find your bag waiting at each evening's stop.
What kind of accommodation do you book?
Family-run guesthouses, traditional inns, and small Highland hotels — en-suite rooms, breakfast, drying space for boots. We avoid chains. The Rob Roy Way passes through small villages with limited beds, so we book early — particularly on the Killin to Acharn stretch, where the Ardeonaig Hotel is the only practical overnight option. Most stops have a pub or shop for an evening meal.
Can I walk it solo?
Yes, easily. The Rob Roy Way is well-waymarked the whole way, and busy enough on the popular sections — Trossachs, Loch Tay, Aberfeldy — that you'll cross paths with other walkers most days. The exposed Killin to Acharn moorland stretch is the one to plan for: take a map, watch the weather, and start early. Single-occupancy rates apply to all our packages.
What's the realistic total cost?
Our Classic package starts at £749 per person — that covers your accommodation each night in family-run inns and guesthouses, daily luggage transfer, your custom GPX route, the planning service, and on-trail support. On-trail extras typically add £25 to £40 a day per person for lunches, evening meals, and drinks. Budget £900 to £1,000 per person in total for a comfortable trip.
Not sure what shape your trip should be?
The Rob Roy Way is the one I tend to suggest to people who've done the West Highland Way and want something quieter. It's not as dramatic, but you'll walk for days without seeing another walker. Pack for one big exposed day in the middle. The rest looks after itself.
Notes from Big Trails
From the trail journal.
Other trails we run.
West Highland Way
154 km, Glasgow to Fort William. Scotland's most famous long-distance walk.
5 – 9 days · ModerateExplore →
Great Glen Way
127 km from Fort William along Loch Ness to Inverness. Lochside and forest walking.
5 – 7 days · Easy – ModerateExplore →
Rob Roy Way
127 km through the southern Highlands, following the outlaw's old country.
6 – 8 days · ModerateExplore →