Soldier's Leap

A new parkrun strated today in Faskally Forest near Pitlochry so we went along to give it a go - and it was tough. There's a leg with a steep hill at the beginning and then 3 loops with 2 steep hills in it.None of the hills is long but I didn't manage to run them completely. Still, a lovely course in the trees and by a lochan and a not-too-bad time.
We then headed off along by Loch Faskally and the River Garry to get in a longer training run. I decided to go along to Killiecrankie and Soldier's Leap.

In 1689 the Battle of Killiecrankie was fought between government forces and the Jacobites who were led by John Graham of Claverhouse. (His family lands were the area we live in and the local castle I've blipped a few times was part of that estate). Graham had his headquarters at nearby Blair Castle and his forces had the upper hand by being at the top of the gorge at Killiecrankie and they routed the government troops.
To escape some of these forded the river upstream but one, Donald McBane, jumped across the 5.5m gap between rocks in the photo. 2,000 (half) government troops were not so lucky and died in the battle, or trying to escape,
The Jacobite army was only 2,500 and their losses were much less but included John Graham and, although they'd won the battle, they effectively lost the uprising as there was no obvious leader to replace him.


Once done we headed back to Dunkeld and had fish and chips and were home early afternoon, by which time the weather was warmer but damp and breezy