Tyndrum
Tyndrum is a small village situated 5 miles north of Crianlarich in the heart of the hillwalking country around Glen Lochy. Tyndrum is an important transport hub with both the A82 and the West Highland line branching off to other parts of Scotland. The West Highland Way also passes through Tyndrum and is popular with the tens of thousands who travel this route each year.
Tyndrum in Scottish Gaelic is Taigh an Droma translating as “the house on the ridge”.
The new path from Dalrigh to Tyndrum
The High Country
Tyndrum lies within Breadalbane, ‘The High Country’, and is characterised by long glens and the surrounding open upland hills with their peaks, rocky outcrops, gullies and screes. Key hills include Ben Lui, Ben Oss and Beinn Dubhchraig (all Munros), to the south of the village. The open upland hills dominate the upper reaches of the glens forming high rocky summits and ridgelines, with a feeling of wildness, remoteness and exposure. Hillwalkers travel from near and far to explore the area and witness its beauty.
Trees on the glen floor
Built on a battlefield
Tyndrum is built over the battlefield where Clan MacDougall defeated Robert the Bruce in 1306 AD, and took from him the Brooch of Lorn. Legend has it that the King threw his heavy sword into a small lochan in order to escape more swiftly from the battle.
Tyndrum’s origins are thought to lie in the convergence of old drover routes, as well as lead mining in the 1740s. In addition to lead mining there was also a short gold rush in the area in the early nineteenth century. The development of the railway brought further expansion to the village.
Landscape
The flat glen floors of Glen Falloch, Glen Dochart and Strath Fillan are a focus for transport routes and settlement. The glens are predominantly rural in character and the development is focussed in the main settlements of Killin, Crianlarich and Tyndrum. Settlement is located at glen junctions and loch heads.
Many of the glen sides in this area are open, unlike other areas of the National Park where glen sides have tended to be forested. The open glen sides form attractive features with burns and waterfalls such as the Falls of Falloch and the Falls of Dochart. The glen sides around Crianlarich, Tyndrum and to the south of Killin are densely forested.
Did you know?
Tyndrum is the smallest settlement in the UK with more than one railway station.
Find out more…
- Find out more about the local Tydrum community and the work they do
- Access the Community Action Plan to find information on what it is like to live in Tyndrum and the surrounding area, the aspirations and priorities for the future of the local community and how they will be achieved.
- Download a copy of our SNH Landscape Assessment to learn more about the landscape of the village.