Wednesday 23 September - Old Blair to Falls of Bruar, 10 miles

Fraser Mitchell led a walk with 11 people, including one new walker, from the Glen Tilt car park.  We started on the Blair Castle estate roads before following a path up to The Whim with a view over the castle, where we took the morning coffee break. 

From there we continued on forest tracks uphill through Baluain Wood with beautiful views down into the valley. The group walked along and up to Bruar Falls where we stopped for lunch and were delighted to find, due to the overnight rain, the falls were looking spectacular. 

After lunch we returned down, on the estate paths, to get to the castle and back to the car park.

Report by Fraser, photos by Marjory Watson

Wednesday 16 September - Markinch & Star Moss, 7 miles

13 walkers met in the car park at the southern end of Balbirnie Park in Markinch on a pleasant autumn morning.  Pete Trant led the group into the park and along the eastern edge, through the area known as Bessie's Bogs to emerge on the minor road close to the Stob Cross.  Having read a little about this ancient and well-worn relic, we moved on to then encounter another leftover of days gone by - the cultivation terraces (of uncertain date) on Markinch Hill.  We then passed under the railway line and past Northhall cemetery, dominated by a central hillock that may be an ancient moot hill.  We started the steady climb up Cuinan Hill, with views over the Forth opening up as we gained height.  At the top of the hill we stopped for a coffee break with views of Largo Law, Bass Rock and Arthur's Seat to be admired.  After our break we descended the open side of the hill towards the village of Star.

Reaching the minor road at the foot of the hill, we proceeded towards Star and skirted its western edge towards Broomfield before entering the SSS! of Star Moss.  The walk through this wooded raised bog, with the sunlight filtering through the birches and its pool with a large number of very noisy mallard, was delightful.

We eventually emerged on the northern side of the Moss and headed towards Kirkforthar before entering Lochmuir Wood to head back towards Markinch.  After a lunch stop, we left Lochmuir Wood to cross the railway bridge and re-enter Balbirnie Park near North Lodge.  We stopped at the Balbirnie stone circle (re-erected here after having been moved when the nearby A92 was widened).

We ended the walk through the park, passing the golf course clubhouse and Balbirnie House hotel, to return to the cars at the southern end.

Saturday 12th September - A  wander over the hills near Blackford, 8 miles

A group of 13 walkers met opposite the Tullibardine Distillery at Blackford for a 9 mile walk over the hills to the east of the village. The morning started damp but fortunately as we commenced the walk, the rain stopped though it was quite breezy. Trevor Abell led the walkers up the core path that leads up the Glen of Kinpauch and on to Kinpauch Hill at 426m. The upper hills are covered in a low-level tussocky grass with a faint path leading across the upper ridge. Here the wind was strong though fortunately from behind. We crossed the ridge to Craigentaggert Hill and later onto Wether Hill at 503m.  The views were excellent looking across to Crieff/Auchterarder one way and to the Glendevon reservoir and the Burnfoot Hill wind turbines in the other direction.  From the top of Wether Hill we were able to make a gradual descent following a quadbike track down towards West Mains Farm and Gleneagles House. Here we were able to reach the minor road that led us back to the parking area close to the Distillery.  9 of the Walkers decided to complete the day at Delvino cafe in Auchterarder for coffee and cake.

 Looking back to Blackford

Report & photos by Trevor Abell

Wednesday 9 September - Almondbank to Dalcrue Bridge, 7 miles

14 walkers, including two Ramblers members from Wiltshire holidaying in Crieff, met in Almondbank on a sunny autumn morning.  Pete Trant led us across the footbridge over the Almond to climb past the Bridgeton iron age fort high above the river.  We then followed the Gelly Burn through woodland and into farmland towards Pitcairngreen.  Heading uphill to Braehead, we picked up the minor approach road past Cromwellstore to Cromwell Park.  Just pas the mill we followed a narrow path down to the riverbank opposite an impressive sandstone cliff, where we stopped for a coffee break.  After our break, we returned to the main path upstream to the weir, where the lade for the mill is taken off from the river.

We back-tracked slightly to cross the lade and started climbing through the trees above the river, following an increasingly narrow path that eventually descended to the road just above Dalcrue Bridge. We crossed the bridge and followed the road towards Almondbank, past Hagg's Cottages, for a short distance before crossing to enter Methven Wood.  The, initially muddy, path gradually climbed above the river until we stopped for lunch at a point almost opposite the weir we had visited earlier.

After lunch we continued through Methven Wood, with the sun increasingly warm in the more open areas, before descending past Methven Loch to emerge a short distance above the Bowling Club road, where our cars were parked.

Photos by Marjory Watson & Pete Trant

Saturday 5 September - Charleton & Balcarres, 8.5 miles

11 walkers met in Upper Largo and caught a bus to Wester Newburn, where we alighted, and John Andrews led us on a steady climb to Flagstaff Hill.  We descended towards East Coates with great views to the coast - firstly towards Kincraig Point and then across Largo Bay towards Leven.

We entered the Charleton estate and stopped for a coffee break in the wooded policies of the house.  We resumed by skirting the immediate grounds of the house, passing Charleton Farm and the golf course, and heading east to the Balcarres estate.  We admired the many fine trees in the parkland surrounding Balcarres House before circling round Balcarres Crag to emerge at the folly tower.  After several walkers climbed the steps to the top of the tower we had our lunch in warm sunshine, taking in the view to Kilconquhar Loch and the coast and across the Firth of Forth to North Berwick Law.

Eventually we reluctantly left this lovely spot to descend back to the parkland of the estate and pass the ornamental lake and along part of the Den Burn.  Continuing past Balcarres Mains we had a good view back up to the tower where had our lunch and then turned to pick up the B942 to Colinsburgh, where we caught the bus back to Upper Largo.  Some of the group went to the Upper Largo Hotel for refreshments, while others headed for the Blacketyside Farm Shop.