Best boot forward at Drovers’ Tryst
Outdoors enthusiasts are getting ready to lace up their boots ahead of this year’s Crieff and Strathearn Drovers’Tryst.
The 16th edition of the popular festival of all-things countryside takes place from Saturday, October 7.
And, with banners flying high and promotional material released, organisers are hopeful of building on the continued success of the showpiece.
This year’s festival features 33 walks, ranging from‘easy’to‘extra hard’, and there are around 25 per cent of places still available to book.
The easy walks, all led by experts, include walking with a beekeeper – billed as a chance to see a hive in action – a walk with the wild weeds to learn about herbs and wild plants and a nature walk through Glen Artney.
The medium walks include Drummond Castle gardens, taking in a tour of the Castle Keep which is not normally open to the public, and a guided tour of the historic Innerpeffray Library.
For those keen to stretch their legs and enjoy the beautiful mountains around Strathearn, there are hard and extra hard walks aplenty to choose from, ranging from introductions to Munro bagging to traversing Schiehallion.
There will also be a day of mountain bike racing at Comrie Croft on Sunday, October 8.
The typically high-octane event features new races this year for‘fat bikes’and‘e-bikes’. Walkers during a previous Tryst
As ever, the week-long Tryst is complemented by a full social programme open to all.
This features films, free music nights at the Tower Gastro Pub, a presentation by the Crieff Drama Group, a talk on General Wade’s Roads by the expert Colin Liddell – on Tuesday, October 10 – and a final night ceilidh on October 14.
Last year, organisers said more than 80 per cent of the 360 or so available walking places were taken up – with participants hailing from Scotland, England, Ireland and even Israel.
Hundreds of pounds were raised for nominated charities – as will be the case this year.