Heritage Paths ~ Old Road to Glenshee
Perth, Kinross and Stirling (part)
Old Road to Glenshee Return to Map
Start location: A924, Enochdhu (NO 063 628)
End location: A93, Spittal of Glenshee (NO 110 699)
Geographical area: Perth, Kinross and Stirling (part)
Path type: Drove Road, Rural Path
Path distance: 9.3km
Accessibillity info: Suitable for pedestrians
From Enochdhu go north-east by an estate road, with larch gates through two deer fences, towards Elrig. Beyond the forest is an open shelter and the track becomes grassy and continues waymarked over An Lairig. Finally, go north-east down the Coire Lairige burn to Spittal of Glenshee, and although on the lower part of the descent the path is not easily discernible, the route is not in doubt.
This whole route is clearly waymarked as part of the Cateran Trail.
OS Landranger 43 (Braemar & Blair Atholl)
The Old Statistical Account (1791-99) refers to annual fairs held at the Spittal of Glen Shee and at Kirkmichael which lies just to the south of Enochdhu. In the middle of the eighteenth century Kirkmichael\'s Michaelmas Fair was one of Scotland\'s principle cattle markets, and this was one of the main drove routes leading to it. It can be seen as a road on Roy\'s map of 1755 which shows its importance.
There are standing stones in Enochdhu and a large mound feature known locally as Giant\'s Grave, which is now a flower bed. The Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments Scotland thought, in the 1960s, that there was a faint trace of an incised cross, although this possible feature is not visible now. However the Royal Commission also state that it is unlikely to be a prehistoric standing stone. Given that the place name, Spittal, usually refers to a hospital or a place of refuge it would surely make sense that there were markers on the way to direct people and an incised cross would be as good a marker as any.
There is also a stone circle on this route on the south slope of Elrig and another standing stone where the path enters Calaminach Wood indicating that, perhaps, there were a number of marker stones on the way.