Loch Earn
In the Central Highlands, Loch Earn is outstandingly beautiful. Deep and mysterious and fringed by trees, steep hillsides and mountains it is a vision of splendour, especially in the Autumn.
Loch Earn is unusual in that it experiences a 'tide'. This tide not caused by the moon, but by the prevailing wind along the loch which creates a 'slope' on the water along the length of the loch.
This in turn results in a kind of oscillation, with the water slowly 'surging' back an forth along the loch - a periodicity of about 16 hours.
In the middle of the Loch at the St Fillans end is an island, once the home of the Neish clan. They were wiped out in a raid by the McNabs of Killin who carried a boat over the hill in order to attack them in the night. The small remains of the Neish castle may still be seen but are fast crumbling.
A charming little single track road passes along the south side of Loch Earn, passing Edinample Castle, Ardvorlich House - home of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, and two little engraved 'gravestones' commemorating 2 rather grizzly events from byegone days.
The eastern village is St Fillans where the views to the west are without equal. (Toilets, snacks and meals, car parks, accommodation)
At the west is Lochearnhead which is convenient for walkers on the abandoned rail trackbed which can be accessed at the old station.
Loch Earn is unusual in that it experiences a 'tide'. This tide not caused by the moon, but by the prevailing wind along the loch which creates a 'slope' on the water along the length of the loch.
This in turn results in a kind of oscillation, with the water slowly 'surging' back an forth along the loch - a periodicity of about 16 hours.
In the middle of the Loch at the St Fillans end is an island, once the home of the Neish clan. They were wiped out in a raid by the McNabs of Killin who carried a boat over the hill in order to attack them in the night. The small remains of the Neish castle may still be seen but are fast crumbling.
A charming little single track road passes along the south side of Loch Earn, passing Edinample Castle, Ardvorlich House - home of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, and two little engraved 'gravestones' commemorating 2 rather grizzly events from byegone days.
The eastern village is St Fillans where the views to the west are without equal. (Toilets, snacks and meals, car parks, accommodation)
At the west is Lochearnhead which is convenient for walkers on the abandoned rail trackbed which can be accessed at the old station.