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The Allt na Bogair walk from Carie on Loch Rannoch
A walk · Kinloch Rannoch

Carie – The Allt na Bogair and the Black Wood of Rannoch

About 5.2 miles on foot.

Carie car parkStartThe top of the trailWhere you turn

Carie is a forest car park on the quiet south shore of Loch Rannoch, on the edge of the Black Wood.

This ancient wood of Scots pine has grown here since the end of the last Ice Age. Its longest trail follows the Allt na Bogair up through a gorge of layered rock and on into the forest, with a view back over the loch to Ben Alder on the way down. It's a long, peaceful morning, with short loops for small legs.

Time
About three and a half hours: the Allt na Bogair Trail, 8.3 km from the Carie car park. Or the Carie Trail, half a mile, a quarter of an hour, and the Kilvrecht Trail, a mile and a half, an hour. A walk.
The path
Wide, uneven gravel forest roads and grassy paths with roots, mud in places and a number of steep slopes.
Where to start
The Carie car park on the South Loch Rannoch road (PH17 2QJ); free, with picnic tables.
Set off
From November to February, set off by 11am to be back in daylight.
When to go
All year in daylight. Deer are stalked on Rannoch's hills from July to mid-February: keep to the waymarked trail.
Dogs
Under close control: deer in the wood.
Children
The Carie and Kilvrecht trails are short; hold hands above the gorge on the long trail.
Toilets
Only at Kilvrecht campsite, half a mile east, in summer.
Before you set out
Forestry vehicles use the forest roads. Deer are stalked on Rannoch's hills from 1 July to 20 October (stags) and 21 October to 15 February (hinds): keep to the waymarked trail.

The walk

The walk starts at the Carie car park on the South Loch Rannoch road, about three and a half miles west of Kinloch Rannoch and half a mile beyond Kilvrecht campsite (nearest postcode PH17 2QJ). There's no charge, and there are picnic tables. Forestry and Land Scotland's Allt na Bogair Trail is 8.3 km, about three and a half hours, on wide gravel forest roads and grassy paths with roots, some mud and a number of steep slopes. Watch for forestry vehicles on the forest roads.

It follows the Allt na Bogair up a gorge of layered grey rock under rowan and birch, then climbs through the forest past stands of old Scots pine to the top of the trail. On the way back it looks across Loch Rannoch to Ben Alder. Red squirrels, deer and pine martens live in the wood. For a short walk, the Carie Trail is half a mile, about a quarter of an hour, and the Kilvrecht Trail a mile and a half, about an hour, both on earth paths with roots.

The only toilets are at Kilvrecht campsite in summer, and the nearest shop is in Kinloch Rannoch. Deer are stalked on Rannoch's hills from July to mid-February, so keep to the waymarked trail, and hold small hands where the path runs above the gorge.

If it rains

Mostly under the trees, and the gorge is at its loudest after rain; the grassy paths get muddy, so wear boots.

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

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

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Find out more

For further reading, before you go.