Killin: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Killin sits at the western head of Loch Tay, a deep, narrow loch about 23 km long with a road on each shore. The north road is the main one, under the slopes of Ben Lawers; the south road is single-track, slow and lovely. This loop goes out along one side and back along the other, with Kenmore and its castle at the far end. Allow a relaxed day, or a long one if you climb the hill.
A short history of Killin
Killin is a small village at the western end of Loch Tay, where the River Dochart flows over rock steps into the loch. According to tradition Fingal, the hero of the Gaelic legends, is buried here, and for centuries the area belonged to Clan MacNab and later to the Campbell Earls of Breadalbane. In 1886 a railway reached the village, and in 1965 it closed. Today the village is a base for walks in the surrounding mountains, among them Ben Lawers, one of the highest mountains in Scotland.
The ten best sights in Killin
1Falls of DochartThe river pours over rocks right under the village bridge; best after rain
2InchbuieThe burial island of the MacNabs in the middle of the river, reached through a gate off the bridge
3Finlarig CastleAn ivy-covered Campbell ruin near the loch; look from outside, the walls are unsafe
4Moirlanich LonghouseA 19th-century cottage where family and cattle lived under one roof; open in summer only
5Fortingall YewOne of the oldest living trees in Europe, in a village churchyard
6Balquhidder ChurchRob Roy MacGregor's grave is in the churchyard, 25 minutes south
7Doune CastleA real medieval castle that film crews love; the audio guide is narrated by a Monty Python
8Kenmore HotelAn old inn at the other end of Loch Tay; read the poem on the wall by the fireplace
9Ben LawersThe big hill above Loch Tay; a long but clear path, half a day up and down
10Lochan na LairigeA dam high on the single-track road to Glen Lyon; wide views without walking
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Killin →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Killin:
Free walking tours in Killin
Around Loch Tay
Killin sits at the western head of Loch Tay, a deep, narrow loch about 23 km long with a road on each shore. The north road is the main one, under the slopes of Ben Lawers; the south road is single-track, slow and lovely. This loop goes out along one side and back along the other, with Kenmore and its castle at the far end. Allow a relaxed day, or a long one if you climb the hill.
- Falls of Dochart · The falls run under a long multi-arched stone bridge at the entrance to the village. In the middle of the river is Inchbuie, the island where the chiefs of Clan MacNab were buried for centuries.
- Finlarig Castle · The tower house was built in the early 17th century by Black Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy, a laird known for his ruthlessness. Beside the ruin is a stone-lined pit said to have been used for beheadings.
- Ben Lawers · At 1,214 metres Ben Lawers is the highest mountain in the southern Highlands. In 1878 a group of men built a huge cairn on the summit to push it over 4,000 feet; the cairn has long since fallen apart.
- Kenmore Hotel · The inn claims to be the oldest in Scotland, dating from 1572. In 1787 Robert Burns stopped here and wrote verses about the view of Loch Tay in pencil on the wall above the fireplace, where they can still be read.
- Taymouth Castle · The great castle at the foot of the loch was the seat of the Campbells, Earls and Marquesses of Breadalbane, whose lands once stretched almost from coast to coast. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were entertained here with great pomp in 1842.
- Falls of Acharn · The path to the falls passes through the Hermit's Cave, a dark tunnel built in the 18th century by an Earl of Breadalbane as a romantic folly. It opens suddenly onto a viewing platform facing the waterfall.
Glen Lyon and the hill of the scientists
North of Loch Tay a single-track road climbs over the hills past a dam and drops into Glen Lyon, one of the longest and emptiest glens in Scotland. At its foot stands a tree older than almost anything else alive in Europe. Further on is the cone-shaped hill where scientists once weighed the Earth, and a famous view over Loch Tummel. The roads are narrow; go slowly and use the passing places.
- Lochan na Lairige · The reservoir is part of the Breadalbane hydro-electric scheme, built after the Second World War, when dams across the Highlands brought electricity to the glens. The road over the pass beside it is one of the highest in the area.
- Bridge of Balgie · The road from Loch Tay comes down to Glen Lyon here. Walter Scott is often quoted as calling it the longest, loneliest and loveliest glen in Scotland; it runs for about 50 km with only a handful of farms.
- Fortingall Yew · The yew in the churchyard is thought to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old, and some put it older still. A local legend says Pontius Pilate was born in Fortingall, the son of a Roman envoy, and played under the tree.
- Schiehallion · In 1774 the Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne measured how much this unusually regular hill pulled a plumb line sideways, and from it the density of the whole Earth was worked out. While processing the survey Charles Hutton came up with contour lines, now used on every map.
- Queen's View · The view runs west along Loch Tummel towards the mountains of Glencoe. Queen Victoria came here in 1866, and many believe it is named after her, though another story links it to an earlier queen.
- Wade's Bridge, Aberfeldy · General Wade built the bridge over the Tay in 1733 as part of his military roads to control the Highlands after the Jacobite rising; it was designed by the architect William Adam. Next to it stands the memorial to the Black Watch regiment, first mustered nearby.
Rob Roy country and the road to Stirling
South of Killin the road runs down Glen Ogle and through the glens where Rob Roy MacGregor lived, raided and was buried. It ends at Stirling, the castle that held the key to Scotland. On the way are lochs, a waterfall, an old spa town and a castle that films keep borrowing. All the stops are close to the main road.
- Balquhidder Church · Rob Roy MacGregor, the outlaw made famous by Walter Scott's novel, died in 1734 and is buried in the old kirkyard here with his wife and two of his sons. The gravestone bears the words "MacGregor despite them".
- Loch Lubnaig · The old railway from Callander to Oban ran along the shore of the loch until the line closed in 1965 after a rockfall in Glen Ogle. Its track bed is now a cycle path that passes the water's edge.
- Falls of Leny · Here the river Leny squeezes through a rocky gap as it drops from the Highlands into the Lowlands. The Highland Boundary Fault, the line that divides the two halves of Scotland, crosses the land close by.
- Callander · The small town became famous as Tannochbrae, the setting of the BBC series Dr Finlay's Casebook in the 1960s. It has long been the gateway town to the Trossachs and Loch Katrine.
- Doune Castle · The castle was built in the late 14th century by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, who ruled Scotland in all but name. It has starred as several castles in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, as Winterfell in the first Game of Thrones episode and as Castle Leoch in Outlander.
- Stirling Castle · Whoever held Stirling held Scotland: the castle on its rock guarded the lowest crossing of the river Forth. Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned in its chapel royal in 1543, when she was nine months old.
Getting to Killin and getting around
- Crianlarich Station · The nearest railway, 25 minutes west: trains to Glasgow, Oban and Fort William
- Tyndrum Lower Station · On the Oban line; Tyndrum is a village with two stations on two different lines
Cheap eats in Killin
Killin is a village of a few hundred people, so lunch is simple: soup and a sandwich in a tea room, scones with jam and cream, or fish and chips. The big choice of cafés is on the road west at Tyndrum, where drivers and walkers on the West Highland Way stop. Most places close by 5 pm, and outside summer some close for days at a time. Fill up on breakfast at the hotel.
- Falls of Dochart Inn Tea Room · Tea, scones and soup by the falls, about £4-9
- Kula Coffee Shop · Coffee and cakes on the main street, about £3-7
- Secret Pizza · Takeaway pizza in the village, about £10-14
- The Green Welly Stop, Tyndrum · Big roadside café and shop on the way west; soup and a sandwich about £8-12
- The Real Food Cafe, Tyndrum · Fish and chips and burgers on the road west, about £10-14
Museums in Killin
- Moirlanich Longhouse · National Trust cottage; small, with an exhibition of old clothes found inside
- Doune Castle · Climb to the great hall; the audio guide is full of film stories
- Stirling Castle · Half a day; the restored royal palace rooms are the highlight
- Dewar's Aberfeldy Distillery · Whisky tours and a blending exhibition; book ahead in summer
- Kenmore Hotel · Not a museum, but Burns's pencilled lines are worth the stop
Nature and day trips near Killin
- Falls of Dochart · Rocks to sit on in the middle of the village
- Ben Lawers · National nature reserve; walking boots and a map
- Birks of Aberfeldy · Gorge circuit of about 2 hours, with a bridge over the falls
- Glen Lochay · Quiet road and walks; look for deer at dusk
- Sròn a' Chlachain · Short steep climb from the village
Things to do in Killin with kids
- Killin Outdoor Centre · Bike and canoe hire in the village
- Highland Safaris · Land Rover trips to see red deer, near Aberfeldy
- Breadalbane Park · Village green and playground
- Falls of Acharn · The dark tunnel walk is an adventure for children
- Doune Castle · Towers and stairs where the Monty Python knights were filmed
Where to eat in Killin
- Falls of Dochart Inn · Pub food by an open fire, a few steps from the falls
- Capercaillie · Restaurant on the main street; Scottish dishes
- Killin Hotel · Bar and dining room looking over the river
- Coach House Hotel · Pub meals at the north end of the village
- Kenmore Hotel · Dinner at the other end of the loch; a terrace over the Tay
Frequently asked questions about Killin
What is there to see in Killin?
The top sights in Killin are Falls of Dochart, Inchbuie and Finlarig Castle. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Killin?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Killin without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Killin?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Killin, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Around Loch Tay.
How do you get to Killin and get around?
The main ways are Crianlarich Station and Tyndrum Lower Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Killin, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Killin that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Killin for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.