I have recently written about the World Body Painting festival and was amused to read about a
Best Painted Cow competition. It turns out however that I had jumped to the wrong conclusion because the competition involves decorating a ceramic cow, as part of
the annual Drovers Tryst Walking Festival in Scotland which takes place from Saturday, 8 October to 15 October, 2005.
The event celebrates Crieff's place in history as Scotland's largest cattle market and while it offers guided walks in Strathearn, Perthshire, with many of the walks celebrating the Cattle Drovers, the Drovers' Tryst is more than just a Walking Festival; Visitors are offered the opportunity to climb the local Munros, to participating in a treasure hunt, go abseiling, mountain biking or even decorate cows!
There is live street theatre, live music, ceilidh, pipe bands, numerous craft demonstrations, a farmer's market and whisky. Each day, there are three walks (Tryst Trails) of varying difficulty, from gentle strolls to a challenging route involving the ascent of both Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin; oh, and did I mention the whisky?
Seasoned hikers can participate in a seven-day, grade 2, guided trek from Spean Bridge to Crieff. The path follows old drover routes from Corriechoille via the famous Road to the Isles and Rannoch Moor into Glen Lyon. There is an overnight stop at Killin, at the head of Loch Tay and the burial place of the ancient Celtic hero Fingal, before a descent to the waterfalls and woods of Glen Lednock.
After that, it's a gentle stroll along country roads from Comrie to Crieff and maybe a little medicinal whisky.
