Sunday 20 October 2024--It might surprise some to learn that the River Tay is the longest in Scotland, as measured along its longest tributaries. At 120 miles, it's a dozen or so miles longer than the Spey and the Clyde. From its farthest source, a lochan on the slopes of Ben Lui, just 25 miles east of Oban, its water flows down the Rivers Connonish, Fillan, and Dochart into Loch Tay, then down the Tay itself to the sea east of Dundee. Perhaps more surprising is that, while it is the seventh-longest river in Great Britain, the Tay is the largest in terms of volume of discharge. Obviously, it drains a large area, much of that the snowy slopes of the southern Highlands.

Killin (accent on the second syllable) sits at the southwestern end of fourteen-mile-long Loch Tay. This is a part of Scotland I have mostly just driven through, on my way from Edinburgh to Craigellachie or Plockton. Ron and I passed through Glen Lyon, the next glen north, in 2011. We must have passed through Killin then, although I don't remember it. I almost certainly passed through in 2001 when I visited the Scottish Crannog Centre, which at the time was on the south shore of Loch Tay, very close to the northeastern end. A crannog is a round Iron Age dwelling built on an artificial island. Construction methods varied widely across Ireland and Scotland, depending largely on what materials were at hand. The Centre had a timber-and-thatch structure built on piles, based on archeological evidence from seventeen crannogs found around the loch. Unfortunately, it burned down in 2021. Since then, the Centre has relocated to the opposite shore. They haven't built another crannog yet--there are plans for three--but there is a museum with relevant artifacts, and a replica Iron Age village, with numerous programs and activities through the season.

A visit to the Crannog Centre was my first thought for today, but it's a miserable day, and as we drive along the north shore of the loch and past the Centre, we decide to leave it for another time. We pass through the village of Kenmore, at the lower end of the loch, and return to Killin via the minor road on the south side. We pass the Ardeonaig Hotel, which claims to have been serving visitors since 1649. It looks like a nice spot for a romantic getaway. That's not relevant for Ron and me...they don't have real ale, either. Before that, somewhere, we missed the unsigned trail leading to the Tomnadashan Mine, which served as the Cave of Caerbannog, lair of the killer rabbit, in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Another thing for another time.

The full circuit of Loch Tay takes about an hour and a half, driving non-stop but rather slowly. Back in Killin, the weather brightens a bit. We go for a stroll around town, and decide to pop into the Killin Hotel to see what it looks like. The open lobby/restaurant/bar area turns out to be very nice, and there's a cask ale on, so we stay for a pint. We might consider a future stay here after all. We already have a table booked at the Falls of Dochart Inn for this evening.