Glen
Strath Fillan
The upper Tyndrum strath on the West Highland Way — a broad valley with a West Highland Line station and Munros on both sides.
- Munros
- 4
- Corbetts
- 5
- Grahams
- 2
- Wild swimming
- 1
- Highest peak
- Ben Lui (Beinn Laoigh) (1131.4m)
Strath Fillan is the broad valley between Crianlarich and Tyndrum, through which both the A82 and the West Highland railway run. It is best known to long-distance walkers as a stage on the West Highland Way and to hillwalkers as access for Munros including Ben Lui and Ben Oss. Ben Lui — reached from the strath by the Cononish track — is one of the finest mountains in the southern Highlands, with a dramatic north-facing corrie holding snow late into spring.
The road in
Parking2 spots
Dalrigh
Charge not published — check on site
Parking off the A82 at Dalrigh, by the Battle of Dalrigh interpretation board. A start for the Cononish track to Ben Lui.
Tyndrum Lower station
Charge not published — check on site
Station parking. Good for train-accessible hill days.
Hills from Strath Fillan4 Munros · 5 Corbetts · 2 Grahams
Wild swimming1 spot nearby
What's in the glen
St Fillan's Priory
Fragments of the church of a priory of Augustinian canons dedicated to St Fillan. Historic Environment Scotland records a late-13th-century chapel on the site, the priory founded in 1317/18 and dissolved in 1607; the graveyard holds two early Christian carved stones. Tradition links a relic of St Fillan with Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn. The ruins are on the West Highland Way.
Our take
Strath Fillan works well as a base for Ben Lui — the train to Tyndrum gives a car-free approach to one of the best Munros in the southern Highlands. The strath itself is attractive rather than dramatic. The West Highland Way passes through but walkers on a day trip get more from it than through-walkers focused on miles.
History
Strath Fillan carries a deeper history than its transit-glen appearance suggests. The strath is named after St Fillan, and Historic Environment Scotland records a chapel here in the late 13th century, converted into an Augustinian priory founded in 1317/18 and dissolved in 1607.
Robert the Bruce was defeated at the Battle of Dalrigh in 1306, one of the low points of his campaign for the crown, and won at Bannockburn in 1314. An interpretation board for the battle stands beside the A82 at Dalrigh.
Practical
- Mobile signal
- Good signal in Tyndrum. Limited in the glens off the main strath.
- Midges
- Moderate(3/5)
- Public transport
- West Highland Line stops at Tyndrum (Upper and Lower) and Crianlarich. Citylink 915 stops at Crianlarich and Tyndrum (bustimes.org, checked 2026-10-28).
- Dogs
- On lead — livestock or ground-nesting birds present.
Map
Hills (green), bothies (brown), parking (blue), wild swimming (light blue).
Nearby glens
Scotland outdoor updates
Route guides, condition reports and seasonal picks — once a month, no noise.
Strath Fillan — common questions
- What's the road into Strath Fillan like?
- A-road for the full length. Give yourself more driving time than the map suggests.
- Is Strath Fillan suitable for motorhomes and campervans?
- Yes — Strath Fillan is suitable for motorhomes and campervans. Take care on any single-track sections and use passing places to let local traffic past.
- How bad are the midges in Strath Fillan?
- Strath Fillan's midge rating is 3/5 — significant from late May to September. Sheltered, humid evenings are the worst; high wind and the high tops are safest. Carry Smidge and a head net from May onwards.
- Is wild camping allowed in Strath Fillan?
- Wild camping in Scotland is legal under the Land Reform Act 2003 on most unenclosed land, subject to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Avoid enclosed agricultural ground, camp in small numbers, and leave no trace. The Loch Lomond and Trossachs Camping Management Zones (which restrict wild camping in marked areas March-September) do not apply to Strath Fillan.
- Is there public transport to Strath Fillan?
- West Highland Line stops at Tyndrum (Upper and Lower) and Crianlarich. Citylink 915 stops at Crianlarich and Tyndrum (bustimes.org, checked 2026-10-28).