Cruachan

Towering conifers and an ancient loch dwelling

Wander down to the quiet lochside and take a closer look at the crannog - an ancient loch-dwelling. Then visit MacKenzie's Grove, a group of towering conifers, planted over 80 years ago and now amongst the tallest in the west of Scotland. These trees are some of the few survivors of a devastating storm that felled vast areas of woodland in 1968.

Walking trails

Walking

Tall Trees Trail

Walk along the shore of Loch Awe to discover where there was once an Iron Age crannog at Carn Mhic Chealeir. As you leave the shores of the loch find yourself immersed among the towering Douglas Firs and Spruces in Mackenzie’s Grove.

Mostly loose gravel tracks, with sections of uneven grassy path that are narrow and potentially wet in places. Includes some long steep slopes.

2 ¼ miles / 3.6 km

Allow 1 ½ hours

More information

Follow the trail to the lochside to see the remains of a crannog, where an Iron Age family once lived in a house on stilts over the water. Then enjoy a stretch through mature woodland to a small gorge where ferns, mosses and lichens grow in the moist conditions. This is MacKenzie's Grove, where a group of conifers survived the storm of 1968.

Facilities and access

Walking

Parking

The nearest public toilets and a café can be found in nearby Dalavich.

Car parking information

There is no charge to park in this car park. Please park with care and consideration. In particular please park in designated parking areas only and do not block entrances or gates.

More about parking

Getting here

From Lochgilphead take the A816 north and turn right onto the B840 about 1 mile after Kilmartin. At the red phone box in Ford, turn onto the unclassified road and follow for 6 miles. You'll see the Cruachan car park on your right.

Using SatNav?

PA35 1HL is the nearest postcode.

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