Hiking to Loch Tinker in the Trossachs

Within minutes, I was surrounded by thick gnarly woodland, heading steeply uphill. I was breathing heavy, picking my way slowly through a maze of branches and converging streams. The forest that lines the road between Kinlochard and Stronlochlochar is still recovering from years of abuse caused by ‘dirty campers’ before the National Park Authority introduced the Camping Management Bylaws in 2017.

I’ve wanted to walk to Loch Tinker for years. Living just a few miles away, I'd always put it off for another day. Walking to Loch Tinker had become one of those things I was metaphorically “kicking down the road.” I was excited, finally heading towards Loch Tinker.

Walking through the forest, I felt a sense of apprehension. Acutely aware of the Red Deer in rut in the hills above. Years of hiking long-distance trails and the issues we've had with cows have given me a healthy respect for large animals and their unpredictability! My planned route to Loch Tinker would keep me on the high ground, avoiding the corries where deer prefer to hide. I hoped that by staying high, a keen eye and sharp hearing would help me avoid any issues.

Passing the treeline, the temperature dropped several degrees, and the wind chill was sharp. Inside my waterproof jacket, I was warm and cosy. Only the exposed flesh on my face felt the cold. I had a flask of hot black coffee that I sipped regularly, and I snacked on sweets that Eve had given before leaving.

The terrain was difficult to walk over. The heather was coarse and woody, and I got tangled in the decaying remains of ferns and bracken, causing me to trip and stumble. Progress was slow as I walked from one knoll to the next.

Standing at Bealach na Craoibhe, I paused in silence, listening to the wind stirring the air all around. My heart slowed as I stood in silence, the solitude of the landscape penetrating and refreshing the soul, giving me a deep sense of peace. Behind me, clouds were gathering, drifting down the glen, obscuring Loch Chon, before the grand reveal, like pulling back the curtain at the theatre. The forests formed a tapestry of pine green, burnt brown, and yellow hues: Loch Chon, a giant dark black mirror reflecting the hills behind. Nature was putting on its very own show, and I was the only spectator.

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Continuing, I inadvertently walked into a patchwork of bottomless bog. For 20 minutes, I persisted in finding a way through, to no avail. Retreating to safe ground, I made a wide arc around towards the cairn close to Sgiath Mhor, avoiding the lower ground. 

My initial idea was to summit the small hill to get a good perspective overlooking Loch Tinker. As I rounded the cairn to start the short ascent, Loch Tinker came into view, and I immediately abandoned plans to climb higher. I made a beeline straight for Loch Tinker, walking through thigh-high grass and heather. This wasn’t my best decision of the day.

The grass hid countless small burns and various holes that my legs would disappear into. How I didn't end up with a boot full of ice-cold water, I don’t know! This was also the hardest section of the day, but it was also largely self-inflicted. Spending a few minutes looking at the map and the terrain, I could have avoided some of the long grass and the holes it hid!

It felt like a real accomplishment to reach Loch Tinker after so long looking at it on the map. To see Loch Tinker up close and feel its water (it was icy cold) was long overdue! It felt good to finally be here!

Loch Tinker isn’t big, but it has character. The Loch is dark and deep, and apparently holds a healthy population of trout! There’s a small cairn on the north end that I didn’t walk to, as the time was getting late and I wanted to avoid being on the hill in the darkness. I sat behind one of the only small builders I could find for a break and to sip hot coffee!

Heading down, I started by retracing my steps towards Loch Chon. I deviated regularly, exploring features in the landscape and to avoid the labyrinth of bog I had walked into earlier in the day.

Skirting the forest around Mount Pleasant, I followed the burn down into the forest around Creag a’ Chait. The descent proved more challenging than the climb up, due to wet ground and the steepness, which made it extremely slippery.

I saw countless fresh footprints of large deer, so I kept my eyes and ears open, but never saw or heard anything all day! The last section of forest felt open and easier to walk through than on the ascent, and I made quick progress.

The road came into view, and I found a flat, dry area to sit, propped against a tree. A period of peace, time for reflection and quiet thought. Without the rustle of my clothes and the noise of my heart beating in my ears. I finished my coffee and let the day turn to dusk. 

Loch Tinker is a beautiful, small, remote loch in the hills above where we live. I will return with Eve, spend the night, and take a fishing rod…! I have no intention of leaving it this long again!

Thank you for reading this small journal, and I hope you enjoyed it.

Ian

Gallery - Loch Tinker

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