From Balquhidder to the Creag an Tuirc

The romantic myth of the life of Rob Roy MacGregor was immortalised by Sir Walter Scott in his novel Rob Roy (1817).

Prosperous Cattle Dealer

Born in 1671, the third son of Lieutenant Colonel Donald MacGregor of Glengyle, Rob Roy was exceedingly strong, with long arms. Roy, from the Gaelic rhuadh, meaning red, denoted the colour of his hair. After his marriage to Mary Campbell he acquired land on the east shore of Loch Lomond and rented grazing at Balquhidder. Soon he was a prosperous cattle dealer but an arrangement with the Marquis of Montrose led to his downfall. In 1711 the Marquis gave Rob Roy £1,000 to buy cattle. One of his men absconded with the money and Rob Roy was charged with embezzlement. Failure to answer the court summons led to him being outlawed and a warrant issued for his arrest. Meanwhile, Montrose's factor (the agent handling his business affairs), Graham of Killearn, evicted Rob Roy's wife and family from their home at Craigroyston.

To Outlaw

The Earl of Breadalbane gave Rob Roy some land in Glen Dochart, but as an outlaw he was unable to trade as a cattle dealer. Undeterred he turned to sheep and cattle rustling and offering protection. He harried far and wide, lifting cattle and blackmailing people. His most vicious attacks were always reserved for the Marquis of Montrose, stealing his cattle and rent money. He was even known to give money to a tenant facing eviction and then ambush the factor to steal it back. Twice Rob Roy was captured but both times he managed to escape. Once, in a daring escapade while fording the River Forth and tied to a horse behind his captors, he severed his bonds and plunged into the fast-flowing river. His captors were powerless as the current swept him downriver. In 1715 he raised Clan Gregor for the Jacobite rising of the Old Pretender. When it failed, Rob Roy was charged with high treason but again he managed to give his pursuers the slip and retain his freedom. Government forces burnt his house in Glen Dochart, but in 1716 the Duke of Argyll let him build another in Glen Shira.

Pardoned

After years of being a wanted man he finally turned himself in to General Wade in 1725 and was pardoned by the King. His remaining years were spent in his house at Inverlochlarig at the head of Balquhidder Glen. He died there, peacefully, on 28 December 1734. His funeral procession came down the 15-mile (24km) glen on New Year's Day 1735, led by the MacGregor piper. His grave is beside the ruined church in front of the present Balquhidder parish church.

The walk starts at the car park at Balquhidder church. From here, walk along a dirt track, go past a shed and turn on to a path on the right-hand side which gives access into the forest. Follow the direction arrows on the green signposts pointing to Creag an Tuirc, along a forest track and heading up the hill.

Continue on this obvious trail for about 0.5 mile (800m) and then turn right, alongside a green building, again following the clearly signposted and waymarked route along a forest road. After another 0.5 mile (800m) go through a gate on the right-hand side, go slightly downhill on some stone steps and across a small stream.

The path now heads uphill on some stone steps, through old pine trees and on towards the summit of a knoll. Here is a cairn erected by the Clan Maclaren Society in 1987 to commemorate their 25th anniversary. The plaque proclaims that this place is the ancient rallying point of their clan.

A seat below the cairn is a grand place to rest after the climb up here. Sit for a while and enjoy the magnificent views over the meandering line of the River Balvag and the length of Loch Voil with the Braes of Balquhidder rising steeply above it. You can see the route that Rob Roy's funeral procession would have taken from Inverlochlarig down to the village itself, and the churchyard where his body lies. From here, retrace your steps back down the hill but before reaching the top of the stone steps on which you came up, take a path to the left through the forest. This continues downhill following waymarked poles, down some steps and across a small bridge. The path goes through some bracken, over a small stream and then through a gate, eventually emerging on to the forest road.

Turn left here and retrace your steps back downhill  and then turn left to return to reach the car park. From here enter the churchyard and turn left. Rob Roy's grave is on the left in front of the ruins of a pre- Reformation church.