GUIDE TO THE RIVER TUMMEL
(Bottom section - Pitlochry to the Tay)
NAME OF RIVER: Tummel
WHERE IS IT?: Flowing out of Loch Faskally at Pitlochry and joining the Tay at Ballinluig.
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: You can park at the Pitlochry theatre and access the river via a fairly steep bank here (NN 93867 57674). Access is also possible from the opposite bank (Tummel Crescent), however parking is more difficult.
Egress should be possible at Ballinluig (NN 97621 52066), however the roads have been rebuilt, so I’m not sure where. To extend the length of the trip you can include the Tay to Dunkeld. There is an SCA access point beside the bridge in Dunkeld on the river left bank (NO 02700 42532). Climb up the short bank to the Atholl Arms hotel car park - they are happy for paddlers to use the car park to load boats. Parking during the trip is just downstream of here in the pay and display car park.
APPROX LENGTH: 8km to Ballinluig, 21km to Dunkeld. The river flows fairly quickly though, so the distance will pass faster than you think.
TIME NEEDED: 1 - 2 hours, longer if you also include the Tay to Dunkeld
ACCESS HASSLES: A major salmon river, fishermen can be a bit mouthy as you paddle past, be sensible and try to stay as far away as possible!
WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Always paddleable. The massive hydro schemes upstream mean that this section of the Tummel always has enough water. Flood levels will increase the difficulty - trees and stopping anywhere become issues.
GRADING: 1 with one slightly harder section of grade 2 just after the A9 bridge.
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Fishermen shaking their fists at you
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Most rapids on this section are shingle bank type, with easy lines visible from above. One small grade 2 section comes on a bend just after the first A9 road bridge and has slightly larger waves. There are plenty of eddy lines for practicing skills with swims easily dealt with.
Ideal for novices or a day out messing around in open canoes.
OTHER NOTES: You can do the shuttle by train!
CONTRIBUTED BY: Rebecca Smith and Kirsten Rendle
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