Distance 5 miles (8km)
Classification Moderate
Duration 2 hours 30 minutes
Begins Hermitage car park
OS grid reference NO013422
Walk in a nutshell
You are in good company when walking through the magnificent woodland of the Hermitage. The likes of Wordsworth, Mendelssohn and Turner took inspiration from this gorgeous landscape. A superb walk utilises a selection of woodland paths.
Why it's so special
JMW Turner visited the Hermitage during the early 19th century, drawn to the waterfalls of the river Braan. The Hermitage is also home to the wonderful Ossian's Hall.
Keep your eyes peeled for
Ossian's Cave, which is set into a wall within the woodland. Much of the Hermitage is actually a designed landscape and largely the work of the 3rd Duke of Argyll who, in the 1750s, planted a large numbers of trees and built the Hermitage. However, the landscape really became popular a few years later when the Hermitage was mentioned in the "ancient poems" of the Gaelic bard Ossian (the poems were actually faked by James Macpherson) and this popularity was subsequently exploited by the building of Ossian's Hall, Ossian's Seat and Ossian's Cave.
Recover afterwards
The Atholl Arms hotel in Dunkeld has a fine collection of malt whiskies.
If it's tipping down
The Birnam Arts & Conference Centre (near Dunkeld) is home to the Beatrix Potter exhibition.
How to get there
There are regular trains from Glasgow to Dunkeld and regular buses from Perth to Dunkeld.
Step by step
1 From the National Trust for Scotland car park for the Hermitage, walk beneath the railway up the side of the river Braan to reach the bridge at Ossian's Hall.
2 Follow the route marked Braan Walk, continuing upstream on the right-hand side of the river on the path closest to the edge of the gorge, to reach the rock shelter of Ossian's Cave. Beyond this the path veers away from the river to gradually climb a short way up the hillside. It then traverses past Craigvinean Cottage to reach a minor road. Follow the road downhill for a short distance to Rumbling bridge, beneath which the river Braan is forced between narrow rock walls.
3 Cross the bridge to the car park beyond and take the path leading through the woods above the gorge, emerging on to the road.
4 Cross the road to follow a track for 600m, then turn left on to another track which leads past a cottage.
5 Now traverse the hillside through birch woods for about half a mile to reach a forestry track. Walk along the track, again for approximately half a mile, to reach a junction.
6 Here, a downhill switchback drops down to cross over a main road, then a minor road and, finally, a car park.
7 Pick up a path here, which now leads through the woods back to the bridge at Ossian's Hall. From here join a riverside path, or the main track straight ahead, both of which lead back to the start.
