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A walk from Rannoch Station to the beach on Loch Laidon
A walk · Rannoch Station

Rannoch Station – A Sandy Beach on Loch Laidon

About 1.9 miles on foot.

Rannoch StationStartThe beach on Loch LaidonWhere you turn

Rannoch Station stands alone on the moor at the end of a long road, with a tearoom in the old station building and red deer often grazing by the line.

From the platform a track crosses the railway and leads down to a pale sandy beach at the head of Loch Laidon, with the loch running away into Rannoch Moor and mountains on the far side. It's a short, wild walk, then lunch back on the platform.

Time
About an hour: about 1.5 km each way from the station over the level crossing to the beach at the head of Loch Laidon. A stroll on rough ground.
The path
A track and then a rough, often wet path to the sand.
Where to start
Free parking at Rannoch Station, at the end of the B846.
When to go
All year in daylight for the walk. The tearoom opens Saturday to Wednesday and may be closed in winter; the honesty box on the platform is open at all hours.
Dogs
On a lead near the deer and on the platform.
Children
Short, but rough and wet near the beach: wellies help.
Toilets
A public toilet at the station.
Before you set out
The honesty box in the station waiting room is open at all hours.

The walk

The walk starts at Rannoch Station, at the very end of the B846 across the moor, where parking is free. The old track west towards Glencoe crosses the railway at the level crossing just south of the station. From it a track and then a rough path lead down round the head of Loch Laidon to a sandy beach on its shore.

It's about 1.5 km each way measured on the map, so allow an hour there and back with time on the sand. The last stretch is rough and often wet, so wear boots. From the beach the loch runs away into Rannoch Moor with mountains on the far side, and red deer are often on the moor near the line.

The station opened in 1894, its track floated across the bog on a raft of brushwood, earth and ash. There's a public toilet at the station, and the honesty box in the waiting room on the platform has hot drinks and snacks at any hour. Keep dogs on a lead near the deer and on the platform.

If it rains

The moor is wet in any weather and bare in rain: take waterproofs, keep the walk short and dry off in the tearoom.

Afterwards

  1. About 3 min on foot

    Rannoch Station Tearoom

    Rannoch Station Tearoom

    Lunch

    Lunch is back on the platform at Rannoch Station Tearoom, in the old station building, for a freshly made meal and a slice of cake. It opens Saturday to Wednesday, 10am to 4pm, with the kitchen closing at 3.30pm, and shuts on Thursdays and Fridays. Book ahead to be sure of a table, on 07944 643154. Its phones aren't answered in winter, when it may be closed, so check before a winter trip. On a closed day, the honesty box in the waiting room keeps tea, coffee and snacks going round the clock.

    More about Rannoch Station Tearoom

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

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

    Kin12 miles awayKinSleeps 2Loch12 miles awayLochSleeps 2Rannoch at Redhill Retreat12 miles awayRannoch at Redhill RetreatSleeps 2Kin at Redhill Retreat12 miles awayKin at Redhill RetreatSleeps 2

  2. Book Rannoch Station Tearoom

    Book a table at Rannoch Station Tearoom on 07944 643154; it opens Saturday to Wednesday, 10am to 4pm.

Where to eat

Rannoch Station Tearoom, a café in Kinloch Rannoch.

Moor of Rannoch Restaurant & Rooms, a restaurant in Pitlochry.

Find out more

For further reading, before you go.