Great Moor Of Rannoch

Overview

The Great Moor is one of the last remaining wildernesses in Europe and stretches out far to the north and west from Rannoch Station and the end of the B846.

Lying at an average height of 1000feet/305 metres above sea level, the area is a vast stretch of land composed of blanket bog, lochans, rivers and rocky outcrops. Despite a distinctly damp and peaty appearance, the `floor` of the moor is made of granite with the upper peat layer reaching depths of up to 20 feet in places. During the last Ice Age (approximately 10,000 years ago) an enormous glacier covered the moor - with powerful, slowing moving ice sheets radiating outwards and gouging out many of the glens in the region including the Rannoch/Tummel Valley, Glencoe and Glen Etive.

Rannoch Moor is a beautiful, special place -it is also one of the most desolate, wild and challenging environments in the whole of Scotland. The flora and fauna love it! A wealth of plant, insect, bird and animal life can be found on the moor and, in places, where the peat has dried out, the roots of old pine trees from the ancient Caledonian forest are exposed, some of which are thousands of years old. Birds include curlew and grouse on the heathery areas and red breasted merganser on the lochs. Roe deer and herds of red deer also enjoy the solitude.

One of the best ways to get a feel for this unique area is to take a train journey on the famous West Highland Railway. The railway line that crosses the moor rises to over 1300 feet and travels over 23 miles of moorland. Construction of the track began in 1889, but the extreme wet and boggy conditions, coupled with the lack of firm foundations meant that viaducts had to be built over the worst parts and some of the bogs had to be filled with brushwood and turf, before the line was finally opened in 1894. The West Highland Railway Line runs between Glasgow and Fort William, on a circuitous and scenic route. Visitors staying in Perthshire can easily take a pleasant day journey starting from either Crianlarich or Rannoch Station.

High mountains are also a feature of the moor although these are best left to experienced hillwalkers with excellent navigation skills. Lower level paths from the Rannoch Station area include a 9 mile/14 km linear tramp through to Corrour and Loch Ossian and also a 7 mile/11 km circuit of Loch Ossian. (See Loch Ossian entry)

A Visitor Centre at Rannoch Moor has recently opened, displays showcase the beauty and interest of the Rannoch Moor - its evolution, early historical development, flora and fauna and the importance of the railway to the area.