For my third trip away in the van this year, it was off up the A9 to Pitlochry and some hopefully good walking. The weather wasn\u2019t looking promising but that\u2019s not something to stop the camping. And so, it was on to my usual pitstop then off on the 90-minute trip to the campsite. For some reason, right off the sat nav decided to take me a strange route from the bypass onto the M8. I didn\u2019t really need the sat nav as it was a fairly straight road, and I was making good time till the end of the M90 when I got stuck behind a Land Rover pulling a trailer with a cow in it and doing only 30mph on the motorway. Then there was the expected traffic jam at the roundabout where the M90 meets the A9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The weather so far had been bright sunshine, but it was clouding over and as I passed Birnam, there was a bit of a downpour. Pitlochry itself was dry and I was pitched up just after lunch, the new way of putting up the awning was paying dividends in less hassle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The afternoon was on and off rain, so a visit to the dam\u2019s visitor centre seemed ideal. It was quite small and seemed to focus more on the conservation efforts of SSE, the dam\u2019s operators, than the operation of the dam itself. It did have a viewing platform that was pretty good for looking out over the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just before dinner there was the amazing sight of two RAF Eurofighters at a very low level passing over the campsite. The noise was deafening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rain was heavier in the evening, so I settled down for some TV and reading. My new mini projector is working well as a way to watch TV in the van, the blinds being semi-silvered make a good screen. This weekend it was a bit of Rizzoli and Isles, a favorite cop show. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saturday morning was bright with blue skies and looking not too bad for the planned walk. Overlooking Pitlochry is Ben Vrackie which is a popular walk from the town. The weather was not forecast to hold so I made sure I set off with the waterproofs in the backpack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first part of the ascent was up to Moulin and on pavement but from there it was onto a well-made path through some woods with wooden bridges added sympathetically to the route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the woods it was on to the moorland at the foot of the Ben and here the path was suffering from heavy rain eroding it badly. At one point it was almost like walking a ridge down the middle of the path. Part way across the moorland, the heavens opened, and I had to quickly pull on the waterproofs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the moorland wasn\u2019t too much of a climb and indeed was flat till Loch a’ Choire where the real climb started. It was a well-made path again, more like a staircase leading up the hill. As I climbed, it was getting windier and the summit was clearly being obscured by clouds. Coming up over the edge of the summit, the wind was very strong but was blowing the clouds across so there were moment where the view was impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I didn\u2019t tarry at the top as it was windy enough that I was getting blown about it a bit. So down the hill I went, the weather had improved a bit by now and there were more people heading of the top in more summer clothing. As I reached the woods again, I climbed out of the waterproofs and enjoyed the sun as it came through the trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back at Moulin, there were signs for a ruined castle, Caisteal Dubh Mhaothlinne. This was a 14th<\/sup> century castle that was burned about 1512 due to fear of the plague. Since I was on my way down and had all day, I headed across the field to see the ruin. There wasn\u2019t much left but made an interesting diversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Ben](\"https:\/\/blog.harmonicroads.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/DSC02694-scaled.jpg\" "\\"Ben")
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