Ben Vrackie from Moulin

The way to Ben Vrackie

From the High Street in Pitlochry, the A924 heads uphill (sign post marked for Moulin, Blairgowrie and Braemar). Follow this road for just over 1km up to the Moulin Inn, immediately behind which is a side-road heading west.

Take this narrow road through a lane and follow sign for 'Ben-y-vrackie' and car-park. The road leads uphill to a large car-park just before reaching some woodland. If this car-park is full, there is another older car-park further uphill in the trees by a right fork in the road (beware the midgies !)

Approaching Loch a' Choire with Ben Vrackie above

From the upper car-park, a worn path heads between some information boards (one of which warns walkers to be well equipped) northwards and through woodland. The path is signposted, crosses a track higher up, through some more woodland, then briefly joins the track. The path leaves the track at a sharp corner, heads back into woods and winds a route northwards to finally exit the woodland and forestry around 500m later.

Now on a fine path on open hillside, the route continues north, does a turn and meets up with a bench - that's 200m climbed and a good point to take in the views developing to the south.

Heading on, the path meets a sign (top picture) and travels to a gate in a fence , beyond which ground levels out. The path a little route in bits, meets with the damed side of Loch a' Choire , with Ben Vrackie reflected in the water.

After crossing the dam, the path becomes ever steeper as it twists and turns climbing 300m in well under 1km. The path tops out on Ben Vrackie's largely grass-covered crest, around 100m east of the summit. Ben Vrackie's summit has a trig point and large cairn, from where views are quite astonishing and far.

Summit of Ben Vrackie, looking southwards

Return is by the same route. Some people may find the first 200m of descent a bit of a knee-buster !