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A walk from Innerwick to Bridge of Balgie in Glen Lyon
A walk · Glen Lyon

Glen Lyon – The Birchwoods above Bridge of Balgie

About 2.8 miles on foot.

InnerwickStartBridge of BalgieWhere you turn

Glen Lyon is a long, quiet glen running deep into the hills west of Fortingall, and this is its own waymarked woodland walk.

From the estate car park at Innerwick a path climbs through the Ben Meggernie birchwoods for long views over the River Lyon, with the post office and tearoom at Bridge of Balgie on the way round. It's an easy-paced morning for anyone who'd rather have a glen than a summit.

Time
About an hour and a half: 4.5 km from the Innerwick car park through the Ben Meggernie birchwoods, by Bridge of Balgie. A walk.
The path
Unsurfaced, waymarked woodland paths with wooden steps.
Where to start
The Meggernie estate's car park at Innerwick, beside Glenlyon Parish Church; free, with picnic tables.
When to go
All year in daylight. The tearoom shuts on Wednesdays; in winter ring it first.
Dogs
Under close control: sheep and deer in the glen.
Children
Fine for children who can manage steps; no pushchairs.
Toilets
At the tearoom at Bridge of Balgie, for customers.
Before you set out
The glen road is single track from Fortingall.

The walk

The walk starts at the Meggernie estate's car park at Innerwick, beside Glenlyon Parish Church on the glen road, about a kilometre east of Bridge of Balgie. There's no charge, and there are picnic tables. The Innerwick Estate gives the walk as 4.5 km, about an hour and a half, on unsurfaced but waymarked woodland paths.

It climbs through the Ben Meggernie birchwoods for views up and down the glen, with the post office and tearoom at Bridge of Balgie on the route. There are wooden steps in places, so it's no walk for a pushchair. The road up the glen is single track from Fortingall.

Glen Lyon runs about 34 miles from Fortingall to Loch Lyon, and Meggernie Castle, the old seat of the Campbells of Glen Lyon, stands further up. Sheep and deer graze the glen, so keep dogs under close control.

If it rains

Mostly under the birches, and the tearoom is on the way round: a fair choice on a damp day, though the views go in low cloud.

Along the way

  1. About 20 min on foot

    Glenlyon Tea Room

    Glenlyon Tea Room

    Lunch

    Lunch is on the walk's way round, at the Glenlyon Post Office, Shop and Tea Room at Bridge of Balgie: a stone cottage with a timber porch and picnic tables looking over the River Lyon. It opens 10am to 5pm (4pm on Mondays) and shuts on Wednesdays. In winter, ring 01887 866221 before you set off. Dogs are welcome. On a Wednesday, take a piece, a packed lunch.

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

    If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.

    Kin7 miles awayKinSleeps 2Loch7 miles awayLochSleeps 2Rannoch at Redhill Retreat7 miles awayRannoch at Redhill RetreatSleeps 2Kin at Redhill Retreat7 miles awayKin at Redhill RetreatSleeps 2
Find out more

For further reading, before you go.

Photographs by Holly Woodward and Sheena Anderson via Google