Pitlochry to Perth

On a recent cycle from Pitlochry down to Perth.. it usually takes between 2.5 and 3 hours to cover the 50 odd km’s (approx. 34 miles via cycle friendly routes), and often involves crossing Logierait Bridge. On a sunny day it is an enjoyable bike ride through the Perthshire countryside.

The Logierait Bridge, a former railway viaduct across the river Tay, is one of the few river crossings that can safely be used when out cycling around this part of Highland Perthshire. It is located between Pitlochry and Dunkeld, and is also an important intersection when cycling further west to/from Aberfeldy when making use of national cycle route 7.

However, despite the importance of Logierait Bridge, there are also other cycling routes and options available when you reach this junction for those riding along national cycling route 7..

Cycling routes 77 or 83..

When cycling between Pitlochry and Perth most people tend to follow the Sustrans option (known as Route 77) that generally takes you south down the west side of the rivers Tay and Tummel, crossing the Tay at the Logierait viaduct, and then down towards Dunkeld along national cycle route 7 through Dalguise and Dalmarnock, next to the Tay Forest Park. Generally a quiet road, ideal for cyclists, yet when taking in the landscape not exactly the best views one can experience when you are traveling along the baseline of a large forest area.

For that reason HBT tend to use it as part of a loop, and only use that particular route to travel northwards from Dunkeld up to Pitlochry - several years ago we used to do full day tours that started in Perth which went up to Pitlochry and then back again, and the views are much more spectacular if you cycle the distance from Pitlochry to Dunkeld by using route 83 instead of route 77… so, cycling on the east side of the river Tummel, when you can then view the Tay Forest Park from a distance/elevated position, while using the old Military Road up near and through places like Tulliemet and Guay.

Route 83 (which tends to follow the old A9) rather than cycling route 7 or 77 (known as the salmon run).. when heading north of Ballinluig, route 83 takes you high up on the old Military Road towards Pitlochry (Dalcapon Road), which eventually brings you along the A924 in past Blair Athol Distillery into Pitlochry from the southside. The views while up there are worth those climbs!

Alternatively, if you don’t fancy a cycle out in the fresh air, then one can take comfort knowing that around 99% of all people travelling north or south between Pitlochry and Perth in recent decades have only ever done this route by train, or motor vehicle along the clogged up A9! 😉

Two viaducts, for the railway to cross the rivers Tay and Tummel..

The construction of the Aberfeldy branch line was planned as part of the original concept for the railway and it opened in 1865. It branched off from what is known as the Highland Mainline (Perth to Inverness), and had to cross both the rivers Tummel and Tay. Viaducts were constructed back then with the Tay viaduct at Logierait, and another for the river Tummel, although this Tummel viaduct was eventually demolished in the 1980s, having been adapted to carry the A827 road instead. It was then removed to allow a new road bridge, leaving only a trace of its foundations still visible today.

As for the Aberfeldy Branch line, it had operated as an important link between July 1865 and 3^rd March 1965, when on that day, two months short of its centenary, the Aberfeldy branch line came to an end as part of the UK railways ‘Beeching cuts’ (were a major series of route closures and service changes made in the 1960’s by British Rail).

All Photos by HBT; the view north from Logierait viaduct (banner photo), The River Tay from Logierait Bridge (main blog page photo), and another with passing clouds, then the view of the Tay Forest taken from east of the rivers.