Spring Break in Scotland - Day 4

Day 4 (Wednesday) - More Hiking around Pitlochry On day 4 I took one, longer hike rather than two short ones. Since walking is so popular in the highlands - and around Britain in general! - there were many options I could have hiked during my trip to Pitlochry. I chose the Clunie Walk, which went in the opposite direction of Craigower, on the other side of the valley in which Pitlochry sits.

The walk started out normal enough, the path wound steeply through forests which looked a lot like the Oregon cascades. Birds were singing in the trees and the sun started to come out, which was very nice as the forecast predicted rain. And even though the day was warm (about 45-50 degrees), there was still snow on much of the path and old logging road which the walk followed.

When I reached the top of the Carra Beag hillside I expected to reach a viewpoint, just like the day before. However, what I found was far more breathtaking and awe-inspiring. I had finally reached the Scottish Highlands. I had wound farther around the mountainside than I expected, and found myself facing a wide open plateau covered in ankle-high purple heather. There were a few small foothills once in a while, with tall highland peaks wherever one looked. Because the clouds had cleared up I had a perfect view of Ben Vrackie, the nearest snow-capped peak to Pitlochry. I even had a spectacular view down onto Pitlochry far below! I took a small side-path to the top of a rocky outcropping and had lunch, watching the river, clouds, and mountains on all sides.

Suffice it to say the path, winding through the heather and over the hills, was fantastic. I had never been in such a foreign environment - but it was all SO BEAUTIFUL! The pictures hardly do it justice. Eventually the Clunie path left the plateau and wound back down, through the woods, and into the city. I returned in time to take a nap at the B&B before dinner, and yet again curl up by the fire with a borrowed book for the evening.

I think this walk had to have been my favorite. The sunshine, new scenery, and great views all made it the perfect easy hike. See the pictures below!



Side Note: Classes start back up again tomorrow. I only have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, though, which means I have a lot of free time to do homework and explore the city!

I also received my grades from last term and was happy to see As for all three classes. I'm especially proud to receive an A from a professor who outright stated "I don't give As"! Since the grading system in Britain is different - a B is the equivalent to an American A - I didn't expect to do as well as I did. Pity this whole semester doesn't factor into my GW GPA!