As part of the drive to improve the Way and to establish the route waymarking a Route Management Group has
been formed consisting of the route founders and access managers from the public authorities through which
the trail runs.
The hope is that with time the group will start to include some of the local businesses that deliver the service
provision to walkers on the route.
The first task for the Group is the work required in waymarking and gaining SGT status for the route.
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Accommodation in Ardtalnaig |
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Opened in the Autumn 2007, there is now a B&B providers directly on the route in the small community of Ardtalnaig.
This has been a problem for some walkers from the time when the Way was opened, this being the only point where accommodation was not available without a very long walk into Acharn or the requirement for transport back-up.
To quickly access the details simply click
here and you will get to the B&B
details.
Do however remember that there are also other options in terms of two night
in the same location with pick up and drop off services or providers that
will offer collection and drop off from Kenmore and Acharn.
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Accommodation in Ardeonaig |
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2009 has seen the introduction of a new B&B provider in the Ardeonaig area. This area is also covered by the local Hotel however as this 4 star B&B is likely to appeal to the budget of many walkers we are delighted that it is now operational.
To add to the benefits of this choice, the B&B will additionally provide collection from Ardtalnaig and return drop off services to walkers. This is very good news for walkers who in the past often had to select two nights in either Killin or Aberfeldy with significant travel by car or taxi to and from Ardtalnaig.
For more detail access the appropriate Services Section.
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Route Waymarking
It continues to be our intention that we can introduce Waymarking to
the entire route, however without funding support this was not possible in the early years of the Way.
We were able in 2007 through the kind donations from the Rob Roy Challenge to
introduce some waymarking in the more challenging navigational areas from Drymen to Aberfoyle
and then to Strathyre.
In 2011 a further funding boost was received from the "Friends of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs and
an application for further grant support from the Martin Currrie Rob Roy Challange will hopefully be granted.
With some additional funding coming from SNH the recently formed Route Management Team are very confident that
the full route will be waymarked by the start of the 2012 walking season.
Watch this space for news updates on this topic.
In the meantime and indeed even once the way is fully waymarked, through
Walking
Support, there is available for downloading at a nominal charge
detailed instruction on directions based on O/S Grid References. This
will remove any concerns on what junctions to take especially in some
of the forest sections or if the walker was to miss one of the new waymarks. To obtain an electronically sent copy of the instructions
click on the "BUY NOW" button below and notification of an electonic payment of a nominal £2.90 we will
return an attached word document with all the details to your e-mail address.
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Walking Route Calendars
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Through PHOTOmemories there are now 2004 calendars which feature a
range of views from the Rob Roy Way. This could be an ideal present for
a friend who has walked the route or for hanging in your office or
home.
Featured is a calendar with the view of Loch Tay taken from the route
at Ardeonaig. The calendar cna also be supplied with many other Rob Roy
Way images and these can be seen and ordered on line from the
PHOTOmemories
website.
The cost is £3.75 + postage.
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Rob Roy Way Greetings Cards
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PHOTOmemories also specialises in photographic cards, and framed prints has
producing a range specifically related to the Rob Roy Way. This
is a cheap and attractive way of sending your friends a greeting from
the walk or to encourage them to also come and walk the route.
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Cards can be purchased on-line directly from
PHOTOmemories
each with its envelope and sealed in a cellophane outer. The cost
is £1.50 subject to P+P and discounts dependent on quantities. This can
also be supplied with an internal "Seasons Greeting". The framed
photographs, and ideal gift, as sold for £6.50 + postage.
Alternatively you can
e-mail PHOTOmemories and they will be able to forward you
fuller details.
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Jennyruth Workshops
We are delighted to report that Jonathan Evason has completed his sponsored walk for the Jennyruth Workshops.
The Jennyruth Workshops, located in Yorkshire, offers adults with learning disabilities a safe environment where they gain confidence, independence, life skills, work experience and happiness. It's a vibrant and challenging workplace where the adults are trained on a wide variety of skills.
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Jonathan Evason is one of the adults who has had a long association with the workshop and who has in his
leisure time spend days walking to help raise funds for this charity. The 2009 project was to walk the
Rob Roy Way and while successfully completing this and enjoying the route he has raised at least £2000 for
the charity. On the Jennyruth
website you can get more detail of this venture.
In previous years Jonathan has walked the West
Highland Way and the Great Glen Way and having completed the Rob Roy Way his next challenge is going to be
the Cateran Trail.
Jonathan has walked with his Father on all these sponsored walks, Barrie having been the founder of this charity.
Barrie is now semi-retired but still organises the fundraising activites that are essential to augment the
income that comes from the sale of workshop products.
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International Recognition of the Way
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We know that Bill & Nedra Orme of Sydney Australia are not the
first international walkers on the Rob Roy Way but we suspect they may
be the first from the southern hemisphere. We also think that they will
be the most internationally accomplished walkers to have identified
a desire to walk two sections of the Way on their journey through
Britain.
(Bill & Nedra above Glen Quaich with Schiehallion in the background)
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The contact started earlier in the year when e-mail contact was made
between Bill and John Henderson of I-Net Support. Bill had seen this
website and felt that Amulree to Pitlochry via Aberfeldy would be an
appropriate route as they headed for John O'Groats.
Late in April the Ormes and John Henderson and his family meet as Bill
& Nedra passed into Scotland using a part of the
St Cuthbert's Way and
then walking a section of the new
Sir Walter Scott Way.
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(Striding down the Urlar Burn towards Aberfeldy) |
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It was arrranged that we would walk together again on the Rob
Roy Way and this took place on the 11th May. The walk was along Glen
Quaich, then down the Urlar Burn and into the Birk of Aberfeldy.
Bill & Nedra succeeded over the next few weeks to reach John
O'Groats, and we congratulate them on this further walking achievement.
(Bill & Nedra at the Fall of Moness)
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CHAS Charity Walk
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The Children's Hospice Association Scotland,
Walking Support, and Morrison Bowmore (Rob Roy Whisky) worked together
to run a charity fundraiser for the CHAS hospice project at Balloch.
Starting from Pitlochry and walking west to Drymen it concluded on
Saturday 26th April 2003.
The core group of 10 walkers was augmented to over 20 walkers on the
last day, this support coming from employees of Jenners at the new Loch
Lomond Shores complex.
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The sum raised was £2600 with a further sum raise by the Jenner's one
day walkers. The goodwill and support for this project was great and
if you
want to view more details just click
here.
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The Hebridean Samaritans
A group of ten from the Hebridean Walking Club successfully
undertook the Rob Roy Way early in April and seem to have had a great
time. They were also successful in raising over £1000 for the local
Samaritains.
The feedback received on the walk was: "Really enjoyable walk,
splendid views across the highlands, lovely villages and very
hospitable B&B's and an excellent bag carrying service"
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Rob Roy Way Video
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A.J.McKay Visual Production has worked with Walking Support in the
development of a video for the walk. This is full of audio and visual
images of the route and its alternative.
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This video can be ordered on-line using the form below or by contacting
A J McKay Visual Production by post, telephone or e-mail.
19 Halliden Road, Kelso, Scotland. TD5 7LU
+44 (0)1573 223256
ajmckay@btinternet.com
The boxed video costs £13.50 for 100 minutes of beautiful route
scenery and commentary. Postage and packaging will be additional.
Although orders can be received on-line the product payment will
be by cheque made payable to A J McKay Visual Production and posted to
the business address above.
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Completion Certificates.
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The Completion Certificate scheme has been operational some the Spring of 2003, initially under the sponsorship of Rob Roy Whisky. Since September 2006 the sponsorship has transferred to Walking Support, a planning booking and guiding business for long distant walkers. Walkers who complete
the Rob Roy Way and have had their log sheet signed can obtain a handsome Completion Certificate and Walking Support is offering a 10% fee reduction on future planning and booking services on a range of long distant walking routes. This
is available to those doing the walk from end to end, either the
79 or 92 mile route, in either direction, provided they have got their walking log correctly
signed.
This is a Certificate that anyone would be proud to frame and hang
on the wall. (21x29.5cm.)
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To qualify all that is needed is for the walker to visit a few locations
on the route to get the log sheet signed. At the end of the walk complete the
log on the front sheet and post it to
I-Net Support, 2 Wembley Terrace, Melrose. TD6 9QR for us to process. In due course the
certificate will be sent free of any postal charge to your home address.
The locations where the log can be signed are as follows:
- Drymen - Its Great Outdoors, 1 Stirling Road
or
Drymen - Visitor Information Centre, The Square
- Aberfoyle - Trossachs Discovery Centre, Main Street
or
Callander - Rob Roy & Trossachs Visitor Centre, Ancaster Square
- Balquhidder - Rob Roy Bar, Kings House Hotel
or
Killin - Breadalbane Folklore Centre, Falls of Dochart
- Aberfeldy - Visitor Information Centre, The Square
- Pitlochry - Robertson's of Pitlochry, 46 Atholl Road
or
Pitlochry - Visitor Information Centre, 22 Atholl Road
Stocks of the blank logs are available from the route starting points:
- Its Great Outdoors, 1 Stirling Road, Drymen
- Visitor Information Centre, The Square, Drymen
- Robertson's of Pitlochry, 46 Atholl Road, Pitlochry
- Visitor Information Centre, 22 Atholl Road, Pitlochry
Or to download a blank click here. This is a PDF file so if you do not have a PDF reader click on the icon below to obtain a free Adobe Reader.
If walkers have any other questions on the certificate scheme
e-mailing and detail
the nature of your enquiry.
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Bag Carrying on the Rob Roy Way
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We are now able to advertise a choice of Baggage Transfer company that can service the complete
length of the route. These companies are shown on the Official Website.
We cannot make any recommendations on which business to select, however we do understand that they both offer very competitive rates.
To find out their contact details click on the"services" directory.
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Inaugural Walk - 18th to 24th May 2002.
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This has now been undertaken and we welcomed walkers on parts of the
route from Canada, Somerset to more local Scottish participants.
For fuller details about the event click
here
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The Official Guide and Map
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The Official Guide second edition was launched in November 2006. This edition has been enhanced from the first edition and developed to meet the large demand for the guide and has additionally addressed all of the edition 1 reader's comments as it related to maps and content.
Edition 2 still contains all the features of Edition 1, being printed on waterproof paper and includes
step-by-step description of the route supported by a detailed dropdown
map.
It also provides background on history, heritage and wildlife and
includes existing and new colour photographs.
Order it from the website www.rucsacs.com or buy from shops or Tourist
Information Centres along the Way.
The book was first published
in 2002 by Rucksack Readers.
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Links to other long distance walks.
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We have now set this up as a separate page. Click here to access.
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Wind Farm - Calliachar
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The Calliachar wind farm development has been featured on this website over a number of years. This development impacts on the Amulree loop of the Rob Roy Way and would have a visual effect on the final section of the day from Ardtalnaig to Amulree and for much more extensive times on the Amulree to Aberfeldy walk.
In 2004 the application was for 46 turbines and at that time, based on the views received from walkers to a Walking Support Wind Turbine Survey, we made representations against parts of the application. In particular we objected to the turbines that were to be located close to the Urlar Burn.
March 2005 saw the developer revising the application and reducing the area over which the turbines would be built and the number reduced from 46 to 27. The turbines that had previously been close to the Rob Roy Way were removed and the visual impact from the walk significantly diminished. Based on the findings from the Walking Support Windfarm Survey we had to conclude that although walkers might well prefer there to be no windfarm turbines anywhere to be seen from a walking route the distance of the Calliachar turbines would not stop walkers from coming to the route or result in them advising other walkers not to use this part of the Way. Our original objection was therefore no longer valid and withdrawn.
the application process has now entered its Public Local Inquiry phase. We as the webmasters and key originators of the Rob Roy Way are still being approached by some of the local action groups that are challenging the application and its impact on the local economy and environment. A principal group is the Amulree & Strathbraan Windfarm Action Group. They are concerned not only with the Calliachar development but two others in the close proximity. We can understand and privately support a lot of their objections but feel we cannot as guardians of the Rob Roy Way object on such a wide set of reasons. We would not however discourage individuals from taking part in the process and suggest that you link to the website www.aswag.org.uk for more details on this windfarm application. We would also still like to encourage walkers to access Walking Support’s windfarm survey, as the proliferation of these windfarm sites is certainly going to continue and even if this one does not in your eyes present a problem, the next one might.
In conclusion we as webmasters for the Rob Roy Way still have an active objection to the revised planned proposal so long as the boundary of the Development Area is allowed to remain to the west of the pylon line. We also have an ongoing concern over the piece meal manner in which the applications arise and the uncertainly about the Scottish Policy on windfarms and their visual impact in areas of tourism. This wider interest has implications on several other routes, an example being the Sir Walter Scott Way where the turbines being planned are directly on the path. In this example we have made representation to the Planning Authorities on behalf of the walkers. To few this planned scheme link to our website SWSW comments.
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Martin Currie Rob Roy Challenge
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The Rob Roy Way management group are pleased to continue to promote the The Rob Roy Challenge. This takes place each June and
is made possible with the support of Martin Currie (Investment Managers).
This is a combined walking and cycling challenge along three quarters of the Way and each year it raises funds for deserving
charities.
Visit the website dedicated to this charity event by clicking
Martin Currie Rob Roy Challenge.
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This section of the website will be developed with contributions from
site visitors, walkers, and advertisers. We are interested in knowing
about additional history or interest along the route. In addition
we are keen to hear of groups walking on the Way, particularly charity
walks. Let us have your comments so that we can share them with others.
If you have any news that you would like to have on this website them
please submit this to the webmaster using the
e-mail facility, and please
put "Rob Roy Way News" in the subject line.
As material arrives we will place this at the start of the page.
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