Tyndrum

The village of Tyndrum from the Gaelic, Tigh an Druim meaning "the house on the ridge", has changed hugely since 100 years ago when it was a small collection of houses (many of them still inhabited) for the workers for the local lead mine.

Mining has long since ceased in the area although the scar on Sron nan Colan hill above the village gives evidence of former days. The village has historic connections with both Robert the Bruce and Rob Roy McGregor. Bruce suffered one of his rare defeats nearby at Dal Righ, the King's Field, where local tradition tells us his soldiers, to help hasten their retreat, threw their heavy weapons into Lochan nan Arm - and they are still there to this day. Another Scottish hero, Rob Roy, had a close call escaping from the rear window of the old village inn while his pursuers were entering the front door.

In modern times Tyndrum is one of Scotland's busiest tourist villages, sitting on the A82 shortly after the roads from the south (Loch Lomondside and Glasgow) and the east (Loch Tay and Stirling) converge and shortly before it divides again to head north (Glencoe, Fort William and the Western Isles) or west (Oban and Mull).

Two large hotels in the village, the Royal and the Ben Doran, cater almost exclusively for coach trips. The smaller Tyndrum Lodge hotel offers varied fayre to a passing trade of tourists, hillwalkers and West Highland Way walkers as does the Read Food Cafe and the Green Welly Stop, one of the Highlands best known tourist stops with a licensed cafe, a newsagent and sweet shop, a Scottish gift shop, a superb whisky store, a petrol filling station and a well stocked outdoor store - something indeed for everyone. Next door Brodie's Minimarket offers walkers the last opportunity to top up supplies before Kinlochleven. Brodie's have a good range of drinks, snacks and sandwiches - or for the less committed, chocolate, beer and cigarettes. Tyndrum Tourist Information Centre on the main road is always worth a visit and here you will find a host of information on the history of the area as well as details of the local activities and attractions alongside a range of quality Scottish gifts, books and general produce supplied by the West Highland Trading company.

Top   Home

By The Way Hostel and Campsite, Tyndrum, FK20 8RY. Tel 01838 400333