📌 Loch Leven, Perth & Kinross
★★
A fried egg on the pan of Kinross-shire, beautiful Loch Leven is a haven for birdlife and a cracking spot for a walk whatever the season. The recently-completed Loch Leven Heritage Trail whisks you around the entire loch, serving up a range of habitats from woodland to wetland and farmland, with good views towards the steep slopes of Bishop Hill and Benarty Hill from the comfort of the level footpath. The winter months bring thousands of free-ranging, pink-footed geese, swans and ducks from colder climes – though seeing them in great numbers isn’t guaranteed. Some stretches of the route are a little featureless, so we hatched a plan to visit some of the several cafes around the loch. Eggs Benedict with black pudding at Loch Leven’s Larder was a perfect way to start the day for us; we also had an enjoyable lunch at the RSPB cafe on the south side of the loch.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Bishop Hill from the first section of the route 
Levenmouth Plantation 
A rare loch view on the east side of the trail 
Wetland near Findatie 
River Leven 
Sluice House at Findatie 
View from the south bank 
Looking across the loch to Bishop Hill 
Wetland at the RSPB reserve near Carden Point 
Looking across to Bishop Hill 
Pink-footed geese on the west side of the loch 
Loch Leven from one of the bird hides near Kinross 
Crossing the South Queich just before Kinross 
Kinross Pier 
Whooper swan 
View from the north bank, with Lochleven Castle visible on Castle Island (right) 
Dusk at Burleigh Sands
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Loch Leven’s Larder, A911 1 mi northwest of Kinnesswood
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NO 161041
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.222412,-3.355280
🚌 Bus to start (or to Kinross, at a different point on the route)
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 21 km / 13 mi | ▲ 90 m | ⌛ 5-6 hr
Features: 💧 Loch Leven ★★; 🦢 RSPB Loch Leven ★★
⬤ Moderate | Wide, smooth and mostly level path throughout – short ascents and descents.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – join circular path at 🧭 NO 157034 – clockwise circuit of Loch Leven via RSPB Loch Leven – start. Trail map 🔗 here
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Grey herons, whooper and mute swans, pink-footed geese, mallards, tufted ducks, pochard, teal; various farm animals.
Weather: Mostly sunny with light winds, some cloud banks. A few degrees above freezing with morning frost.
November 2017
