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The River Lyon among trees below the hills of Glen Lyon at Bridge of Balgie.
Perthshire

Glen Lyon

The longest enclosed glen in Scotland, running 34 miles from Fortingall to Loch Lyon, which Sir Walter Scott called the longest, loneliest and loveliest glen.

Welcome

West of Fortingall, a single-track road leaves the fields round the village and slips into Glen Lyon through a narrow wooded pass, and for the next 34 miles it follows the River Lyon up the glen.

It is the longest enclosed glen in the country, and Sir Walter Scott called it the longest, loneliest and loveliest glen.

The river runs clear over stones between birch and old pinewood, with steep hills rising on both sides. Low in the glen, an old packhorse bridge crosses a side burn below a waterfall; it is known as the Roman Bridge, though it was built long after the Romans. Further up, the white towers of Meggernie Castle, once home of the Campbells of Glen Lyon, show briefly through the trees.

Halfway along, Bridge of Balgie has the glen's post office and a tearoom with a deck over the river, and a hill road climbs south from here to Loch Tay. The glen road runs on to the dam at Loch Lyon, where the hills close in.

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The Daily for 10 November, from Scotland with love. Aerial view of a concrete road bridge with angled supports spanning a sea loch, twin cloud-wrapped mountain peaks rising behind autumn-coloured hills.
Not farHettie's Tea Rooms15 milesSee itHettie's Tea Rooms

Before you go

Open at all times.

A single-track road runs the length of the glen from Fortingall to the dam at Loch Lyon, with a road over the hill to Loch Tay from Bridge of Balgie.

Where
West of Fortingall, eight miles west of Aberfeldy.
Stop at
Bridge of Balgie, with the glen's post office and tearoom.

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Where it is

Running west from Fortingall, between Loch Tay and Loch Rannoch.

Close byGlen Lyon.
  1. Fortingall Yew TreeFortingall Yew TreeOne of the oldest living things in Europe, at the mouth of the glen.1 mile 4 min by road
  2. Looking from Meall na Aighean to Ben Lawers, Meall Greigh and Meall Garbh, snow on the highest tops.Meall na AigheanA Munro of 981 metres on the north side of Glen Lyon, climbed from Invervar by its west ridge.3 miles as the crow flies
  3. Meall GreighA Munro of 1,001 metres at the north-east end of the Ben Lawers range above Loch Tay, climbed from Lawers by the Lawers Burn.4 miles as the crow flies
  4. The Courtyard Brasserie & BarThe Courtyard Brasserie & Bar6 miles 12 min by road
  5. KenmoreKenmoreThe estate village at the east end of Loch Tay.6 miles 13 min by road
  6. SchiehallionSchiehallionA perfect cone of a Munro, north of the glen.12 miles 20 min by road
Directions
Canvas marquee on wooden poles beside a log cabin among autumn treesAttractionsThe Scottish Crannog Centre2.4 miles as the crow flies
Faint rainbow over a forested loch, path lined with autumn treesAttractionsFalls of Acharn3.2 miles as the crow flies
Càrn Gorm above Glen Lyon, the crags of Creag Ghlas on its right.AttractionsCarn Gorm6.0 miles
Sauna on a boat, PerthshireActivityHotBoat Sauna, Taymouth Marina6.7 miles
AttractionsBen Lawers6.9 miles
The rounded top of Meall a' Choire Lèith with a shadowed corrie on its near side, hills ranged beyond.AttractionsMeall a' Choire Leith7.5 miles
Beinn Ghlas, its grassy flanks gold and brown under a grey sky, the path curving up across its shoulder.AttractionsBeinn Ghlas7.7 miles
The front of Homer on Bank Street in Aberfeldy, its window full of homeware and an open sign by the door.ShoppingHomer7.9 miles
Two paddlers in an orange canoe on a still Highland loch in Perthshire, with wooded hills behind.ActivityWee Adventures7.9 miles

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near the glen, and when each is next free.

A small stone bothy joined to a stone steading, seen across long grass under a Scots pine bough, a corrugated shed to the right.Lassintullich Bothy
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Perthshire
  • 7 miles from Glen Lyon
Check datesA white harled house with a slated roof sits among woodland below a hill, a track winding up to it through fields.Lassintullich House
  • Sleeps 16
  • In Perthshire
  • 7 miles from Glen Lyon
Free 16–19 NovA stone steading with a slated roof and an arched green door stands beside a gravel courtyard, daffodils growing at its base.West Tempar Bothy
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Perthshire
  • 7 miles from Glen Lyon
Free 16–19 NovA sign reading "Garden Cottage" hangs on a white gate before a gravel drive, the white cottage and hills visible beyond.Garden Cottage
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Perthshire
  • 7 miles from Glen Lyon
Free 11–14 DecPlaces to stayEvery stay in PerthshireAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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