How hard is Ben Lawers?

Starting from the 450m NTS car park, the walk over Beinn Ghlas to Ben Lawers is about 11–12km with 900m of total ascent — a solid but well-pathed Munro day, one of the more forgiving 1,200m summits in Scotland in summer. In winter it is a serious mountain like any other at that height.

What is the best walk in Aberfeldy itself?

The Birks of Aberfeldy circuit, starting a few minutes from the town square: a built path of steps and footbridges climbing both sides of the Moness gorge past the falls Burns made famous. Allow 1.5–2 hours. Combine it with the Wade's Bridge and Black Watch monument riverside loop for a full half-day on foot.

Can I do a Munro from Aberfeldy by public transport?

Realistically no — the Lawers and Schiehallion starts have no useful bus service. Aberfeldy walking without a car means the Birks, the Tay riverside, Weem woods and Drummond Hill at Kenmore (reachable by the Loch Tay-side bus). For Munros, base the day around a car or lift.

Is the Ben Lawers ridge doable in one day?

The full seven-Munro traverse of the Lawers group is a very big day — over 25km with serious ascent — normally split or done by fit parties in high summer. The common outings are Beinn Ghlas + Ben Lawers from the NTS car park, or the eastern pair from Glen Lyon. The An Stùc section involves steep, loose ground.

Perthshire

Walks Near Aberfeldy

41 hills within 30km — 19 Munros, 12 Corbetts, 10 Grahams, . Sorted by straight-line distance.

Aberfeldy sits where highland Perthshire concentrates: the Birks gorge that Burns wrote into the songbook starts at the edge of the square, Loch Tay and the Ben Lawers range — seven Munros on one ridge — lie fifteen minutes west, and Schiehallion stands across the strath. It is a quieter base than Pitlochry with, if anything, bigger hills closer at hand.

No railway — the nearest stations are Pitlochry (20 minutes by road) and Dunkeld & Birnam, with local buses linking both to Aberfeldy. The Ben Lawers NTS car park above Loch Tay is a 25-minute drive via Fearnan; Schiehallion's Braes of Foss start is similar via Coshieville. The Birks, the Tay bridge and Weem woods are all on foot from the square.

19Munros 12Corbetts 10Grahams 0Donalds

Top walks near Aberfeldy

Ben Lawers

Perthshire's highest at 1,214m, climbed from the NTS nature reserve car park at 450m — which tames the ascent without shrinking the views. Usually taken with Beinn Ghlas en route; strong walkers extend along the ridge. Rich arctic-alpine flora, so stay on the path.

14km from Aberfeldy

Schiehallion

The isolated cone where the Earth was first weighed in 1774 — 1,083m from Braes of Foss on the John Muir Trust's rebuilt ridge path. From Aberfeldy the drive along Strathtay to the start makes a neat half-hour approach.

13km from Aberfeldy

The Birks of Aberfeldy

The gorge circuit Robert Burns walked in 1787 — around 4km of steps, bridges and viewpoints climbing beside the Moness burn to the upper falls. Steep enough to count, short enough for a half-morning, and best after rain.

1km from Aberfeldy

When to go

The Lawers range is snow country — the high car park start tempts walkers onto a 1,214m mountain in conditions that demand full winter equipment from roughly November to April. The Birks run hardest and most photogenic after wet spells, and the gorge steps ice up in frost. October in Strathtay is outstanding: birch colour in the Birks, larch on Drummond Hill across the Tay at Kenmore. Summer midges are manageable in the breezy strath, worse in the gorge's still air at dusk.

All hills within 30km of Aberfeldy

Hill	Type	Height	Distance
Farragon Hill	Corbett	782.4m	6km
Meall Tairneachan	Corbett	787m	7km
Meall Dearg	Graham	690.3m	8km
Ben Vrackie	Corbett	842.2m	14km
Beinn na Gainimh	Graham	729.3m	15km
Schiehallion	Munro	1083.3m	15km
Meall na Aighean	Munro	982.1m	16km
Creagan na Beinne	Corbett	889.1m	17km
Meall nan Caorach	Graham	623.7m	17km
Carn Mairg	Munro	1043m	17km
Meall Reamhar	Graham	617.8m	17km
Shee of Ardtalnaig (Ciste Buide a' Claidheimh)	Graham	758.2m	19km
Meall Greigh	Munro	1000.7m	19km
Auchnafree Hill	Corbett	787.4m	19km
Blath Bhalg	Graham	640.4m	20km
Ben Chonzie	Munro	930.4m	20km
Meall Garbh	Munro	967.5m	21km
Beinn a' Chuallaich	Corbett	892.2m	21km
Meall Garbh	Munro	1123.1m	22km
Carn Gorm	Munro	1029.5m	22km
Beinn a' Ghlo - Carn Liath	Munro	975.8m	22km
An Stuc	Munro	1117.1m	22km
Creag Uchdag	Corbett	878.8m	22km
Ben Lawers	Munro	1214.3m	23km
Beinn Ghlas	Munro	1103.4m	25km
Beinn Dearg	Corbett	830m	25km
Beinn a' Ghlo - Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain	Munro	1070m	25km
Meall a' Choire Leith	Munro	925.6m	25km
Ben Vuirich	Corbett	903.1m	25km
Meall Corranaich	Munro	1067.2m	25km
Beinn a' Ghlo - Carn nan Gabhar	Munro	1121.9m	27km
Beinn Mheadhonach	Corbett	900.9m	27km
Creag Ruadh	Graham	712.3m	27km
Creag a' Mhadaidh	Graham	611.4m	27km
Carn a' Chlamain	Munro	963.5m	27km
Meall nam Maigheach	Corbett	778.9m	28km
Meall a' Mhuic	Graham	745.9m	28km
Creag Gharbh	Graham	637.4m	28km
Beinn Dearg	Munro	1008.7m	28km
Meall nan Tarmachan	Munro	1043.6m	29km
Meall na Leitreach	Corbett	777.1m	30km

Distance is straight-line (as the crow flies) from Aberfeldy city centre — not drive or walk distance. Radius: 30km.

Current conditions near Aberfeldy

Daylight Today

19h 19mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 04:41
Sunset: 22:01
Civil dawn: 03:42
Civil dusk: 23:01

NOAA Solar Calculator · 12 July 2026

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Ben Lawers?: Starting from the 450m NTS car park, the walk over Beinn Ghlas to Ben Lawers is about 11–12km with 900m of total ascent — a solid but well-pathed Munro day, one of the more forgiving 1,200m summits in Scotland in summer. In winter it is a serious mountain like any other at that height.
What is the best walk in Aberfeldy itself?: The Birks of Aberfeldy circuit, starting a few minutes from the town square: a built path of steps and footbridges climbing both sides of the Moness gorge past the falls Burns made famous. Allow 1.5–2 hours. Combine it with the Wade's Bridge and Black Watch monument riverside loop for a full half-day on foot.
Can I do a Munro from Aberfeldy by public transport?: Realistically no — the Lawers and Schiehallion starts have no useful bus service. Aberfeldy walking without a car means the Birks, the Tay riverside, Weem woods and Drummond Hill at Kenmore (reachable by the Loch Tay-side bus). For Munros, base the day around a car or lift.
Is the Ben Lawers ridge doable in one day?: The full seven-Munro traverse of the Lawers group is a very big day — over 25km with serious ascent — normally split or done by fit parties in high summer. The common outings are Beinn Ghlas + Ben Lawers from the NTS car park, or the eastern pair from Glen Lyon. The An Stùc section involves steep, loose ground.