Photographs, route description and map of a traverse of the twin ridges of Scurran and Dun Mor above the River Almond through the Sma' Glen in the Eastern Highlands of Scotland

Photographs of a traverse of the twin ridges of Scurran and Dun Mor above the River Almond through the Sma' Glen

Location: The Sma' Glen, Perthshire
Grade: Moderate hillwalk
Distance: 6 miles/10km
Time: 4-8 hours

A 12-foot-high cairn - obviously of some antiquity from its construction and dimensions - tops a rather insigniﬁcant hill that is neither a Munro nor a Corbett. A smaller, less ancient cairn lies about 20 paces away. The hill is an outlier of Meall Tarsuinn, which in itself is a pretty insignificant hill. However, the cairned top gives way to a rather nice ridge that the Ordnance Survey calls The Scurran and below it lies a steep-sided deﬁle, the Sma’ Glen - a mini Glen Coe. You enter its jaws from the gentler landscapes of Perthshire and the change of scenery is sudden and dramatic. But not only is the Sma’ Glen dramatic in a landscape sense ( its old name is An Caol Ghleann — the Narrow Glen ), it's also rich in historical drama.
Ancient cairns, like this one, and the sites of old forts line the hilltops that surround the glen. A Roman signal station was once sited near the south entrance to the glen. General Wade built a military road through here and in doing so disturbed an ancient grave, said to be the ﬁnal resting place of Ossian, the bardic son of the renowned Celtic warrior Finn MacCurnhail.
Traversing the hills that form its skyline is a great hillwalk with wide-ranging views.
The lonely hills of upper Glen Almond make a strong impression on the senses and those wild views are in direct contrast to the comparatively lowland scenery of Strathearn in the south. Some years ago the glen was threatened by plans for a windfarm.
The hills that form the skyline around the Sma’ Glen rise steeply and abruptly from the wide green strath that cradles the infant River Almond.
The western hills offer the best route, after a steep climb up from Newton Bridge at the north end of the glen. The narrow path that runs down the length of The Scurran treads delicately close to a steep drop into the glen below before descending to the curiously named Giant's Grave, another ancient site.
Across the road the River Almond bars the way to the eastern hills but where it widens and shallows across some gravel bars it is easily waded.
Take great care, though, and don’t attempt this crossing if the river is high or in spate. There is a bridge about 2km downstream.
The Dun Mor ridge that bounds the east side of the glen is delightful and a prehistoric fort graces the hill's 466m summit.
The walking is great, the views are expansive, there is a lot of historical interest and thank goodness Perth and Kinross Council threw out the windfarm plans that would certainly have ruined this lovely place.

ROUTE PLANNER
Map: OS 1:50,000 Landranger sheet 52 ( Pittochry & Crieff )
Distance: 6 miles / 10km
Approx Time: 4-6 hours
Start / Finish: Car park at Newton Bridge on A822 ( GR: NN889315 ).
Transport: None.
Information: Crieff TIC, D1764 652578

Route:
From the car park follow the road N for a few metres and go through a gate on the left to a path beside the River Almond.
Follow this path tor a short distance before taking to the open hillside on your left.
A rising traverse on steep ground takes you on to the N ridge of a hill that is crowned by a large cairn.
From the cairn walk E for a short distance and follow a walkers' path that runs SE along the ridge called The Scurran.
Follow the natural tine of the ridge down to the Giants Grave.
Cross the road and wade the river. Do not attempt to cross the river if it is in spate or in high water.
There is a bridge at Dallick House, 2km downriver.
From the river's east bank, climb steeply to the Dun Mor ridge which is then followed N and NE.
Descend to the A822 iust N of Newton Bridge and return to the car park