For information on tourist attractions and activities in and around Strathyre, please visit our pages on activities and walking .
Strathyre (from the Gaelic 'sheltered valley') is situated at the head of Loch Lubnaig ('Crooked Loch') below Beinn an t-Sithean (pronounced Ben Shean - 'Mountain of the Fairies' or 'Fairy Hillocks').
Strathyre is often described as 'the first highland village' as it is the first village north of the Highland Boundary Fault line which passes through Kilmahog.
The Strathyre valley straddles the river Balvaig which flows between Loch Voil in Balquhidder and Loch Lubnaig. The hills on each side of the valley are covered by the Strathyre forest.
The settlement was built after the construction of the military road from Stirling to Fort William in 1750, one of three cottar towns created to accommodate the shift of population towards the new road. (A cottar is a highland peasant farmer.) Strathyre was known as Nineveh in Rob Roy times because of its many inns.
The village was originally located on the western side of the river Balvaig but with the advent of the railway in 1870, the original cottar houses were destroyed and the new hotels, villas and station were constructed on the opposite river bank. The village once enjoyed seven trains each day in summer and four daily in winter. The railway was closed following a rock fall in 1965 but this merely brought forward the closure planned by the infamous Dr. Beeching.
Dorothy and William Wordsworth stayed in the village on 13 Sept. 1803 and walked on the local hills. William Wordsworth was inspired to write his poem "The Solitary Reaper".
Strathyre has long been popular with visitors, starting as a resting place for cattle drovers. Nowdays visitors are attracted by its beautiful surroundings, hill walking and other outdoor pursuits and its convenient location for exploring Rob Roy country and further afield.
The settlement has a population of a little over 200 but is served by a village shop and several hostelries offering a range of food and drink.
Strathyre is situated in central Scotland eight miles north of Callander on the A84, a little over an hour's drive from either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport. The village is located 4 miles from both Balquhidder (renowned for Rob Roy's Grave) and Lochearnhead (noted for its water sports), 19 miles from Stirling, 31 miles from Perth.