Heritage Path of the Month.
Comyn’s Road is our Heritage Path of the Month for October 2026.
More about Comyn’s Road:
Comyn’s Road is a very ancient route from Badenoch to Atholl. Starting from Ruthven, it heads south to Glen Tromie, initially on the same line as the Minigaig route which superseded it, but then takes its own separate course west of Loch an t-Seilich to reach Gaick Lodge. After briefly coinciding with the Gaick Pass route, Comyn’s Road ascends to the plateau of Bac na Creige and continues southeast via Sròn a’ Chleirich to eventually reach Glen Bruar. From there it heads southeast into and down Glen Banvie to reach Blair.
As part of our new project, Comyn’s Road was recently revisited by a Heritage Paths volunteer. Read the resultant updated route description here, and if you wish to walk the route yourself we suggest reading this account too [HOTLINK account].
OS Landranger 43 (Braemar & Blair Atholl) & 42 (Glen Garry & Loch Rannoch area)
The Comyn family held the earldom of Atholl and the Lordship of Badenoch; this route was built in the thirteenth century to link their castles at Blair and Ruthven. It originally took wheeled carts and is traditionally said to have been used for the transportation of ale from Atholl to Ruthven. The Pont texts (Pont maps c1583-1614) refer to Comyn’s Road thus: “Ther is a way from the yet of Blair in Athoil to Ruffen in Badenoch maid be David Cuming earle of Athoill for carts to pass with wyne, and the way is called Rad-na-pheny or way of wane wheills, it is layd with calsey in sundrie parts”.
By the seventeenth century, Comyn’s Road seems to have been superseded by the Minigaig to the east and the route through the Pass of Drumochter (now the A9) to the west.
More about Heritage Paths:
Learn about the history of some of the oldest transport routes in Scotland. Heritage Paths records the history of over 400 routes that criss-cross the Scottish landscape. From Roman Roads to Military Roads, find out how the route you are following came into being.
As well as historical information, you’ll find a modern-day route description along with start and finish details. Change the background mapping in our interactive viewer and time travel along your favourite Heritage Path from 1843 to today.
Photo: Small cairn on ascent to Bac na Creige, Comyn’s Road © Colin MacLennan