Strath Fillan


(Glen Fillan)

The steep-sided valley of the River Fillan, a headwater of the River Tay lying between Tyndrum and Loch Dochart, 2 miles (3 km) east of Crianlarich. The river and valley are named after St. Fillan who was venerated by King Robert the Bruce and whose relics were paraded before the Scottish troops before the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The scant remains of St. Fillan's Chapel are located by the farm of Kirkton to the north of the river and a half-mile (1 km) up the valley is Linne Fhaolain, St. Fillan's Pool. Many cures are said to have resulted from taking the waters of this pool which tradition asserts retained healing powers until a mad bull, pursued by dogs, plunged into it. The Healing Stones of St. Fillan are preserved in St. Fillan's Mill at Killin, which was opened as a visitor attraction in 1994.

In addition to the A82 trunk road, remarkably two railway lines pass through on opposite sides of this relatively remote valley. These are the Oban and Fort William Branches of the West Highland Line, the first being part of the former Callander & Oban Railway, much of which closed in 1965. This section remains open and, for reasons of geography, the two branches are not linked until Crianlarich.


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