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The Killiecrankie Battle Site is 31
miles northwest of Perth, 3 miles southeast of Blair
Atholl.
This Attraction is maintained by the
National Trust for Scotland. It is about a one
mile, 15 minute, downhill walk from the Car
Park to the Soldiers Leap. This is where the
Jacobite's defeated around 4,000 Government
Troops during the First Jacobite
Rising in 1689, with one of the Government
Soldiers leaping to safety across the River
Garry between rocks about 18ft / 5.5m
apart.
There is also the Highland Fling Bungee Jumping
from the Bridge over the River Garry.
Killiecrankie can be visited all year with a
small car parking charge. Postcode: PH16 5LG
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Click On Map for area Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The Image top is from the car park to the
Visitor Centre.
The Visitor Centre gives information on the
Pass of Killiecrankie, such as how it was
formed, wildlife, and the famous Jacobite
victory here over Government Troops during the
first Jacobite Rising.
The Woodland Walk down to the Soldiers Leap
can be steep in places, taking about 15
minutes. There are a few seating areas with
great views along the Path.
The Main Attraction is at the bottom of the
trail where the Path reaches the River Garry.
There is a viewing area at Rocks where a
Government Soldier had to jump across to get
away from persuing Jacobite's.
The views from the Path are amazing with the
steep sided wooded hills on each side, the
River Garry at the bottom, Railway Viaduct by
the river, and main A9 road high above.
There is another Car Park 1 mile further
south with other walks into the Pass.
Killiecrankie History
Pre History - a path through the
Killiecrankie Hills was established for travel
between the Perth and Inverness areas.
1517 - Preaching's by the German Philosopher
Martin Luther led to the Christian Religion
splitting into Catholic and Protestant.
1524 - England turned to Protestantism under
King Henry VIII.
England's long running enemy France remained
Catholic.
1560 - Scotland adopted Protestantism.
1603 - James VI Stuart becomes King of
England and Scotland, the beginning of the
Stuart Dynasty.
1689 early - King James II Stuart was
overthrown by his Protestant daughter Mary and
her husband to be William, who became Mary II
and William II. James was accused of being a
Catholic with close ties to France.
Many Scots known as Jacobite's began
fighting to have James restored to the
Throne.
The Jacobite's were led by John Graham of
Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee. He raised an
army mainly from Highland Clans with their base
at Blair Castle, 3 miles north of
Killiecrankie.
1689 July - 4,000 Government Troops marched
north to engaged the Jacobite's at Blair
Castle. Viscount Dundee then led 2,500
Jacobite's south to the narrow Pass at
Killiecrankie so as to give his smaller force a
better chance of winning the Battle.
The first shot of the Battle was fired by a
Jacobite sniper, killing a Government Cavalry
Officer. That spot is now known as Trooper's
Den.
Around 800 Jacobite's are said to have died
from Gunfire during their Highland Charge at
the Government Troops.
The Jacobite's continued their Screaming
Charge that succeeded in scaring the Government
Troops enough to prevent many from fixing
bayonets and holding their lines.
About 2,000 Government Troops are said to
have died during the short Battle, or after
being hunted down in the hours following the
Battle.
A Government Soldier, Donald McBane, escaped
a number of perusing Highlanders by jumping
across the River Garry between two rocks 18ft /
5.5m apart.
The Jacobite's won the Battle, although they
lost their leader Viscount Dundee, hit by a
musket ball during the charge at the Government
Troops.
Viscount Dundee is said to have died on the
north side of the Village of Killiecrankie
while sitting against a stone in a field. This
stone is now known as Claverhouse's Stone.
Viscount Dundee was buried three days later
at St Bride's Kirk
in the grounds of Blair Castle.
1689 August - Government Forces defeated the
Jacobite's at the Battle of Dunkeld, 16
miles south of Killiecrankie. This ended the
First Jacobite Rising with King James forced to
live in exile in France.
Other Jacobite Risings took place in 1715
and 1745. Both Risings failed with the final
battle being at Culloden 16 April 1746.
1800s - the first reports of Ghosts are made
by people traveling through the Pass in
Carriages.
1844 - Queen Victoria passed Killiecrankie
stating she could not describe how beautiful it
was.
1860s - the Railway Line was completed
through the Pass of Killiecrankie connecting
Perth and Inverness.
1900s - reports of Ghosts continue by people
in Cars and on Bikes. One woman reported seeing
bodies of Soldiers laying as if they had just
died.
1970s - the main A9 road was moved higher up
the hillside giving dramatic views over the
Pass of Killiecrankie when traveling between
Pitlochry and Blair Atholl.
2018 - plans are made to upgrade the A9 road
at Killiecrankie into Dual Carriageway. This
led to Highland Chiefs raising concerns the new
road could disturb the graves of around 3,000
Jacobite's and Government Troops that died at
the Battle of Killiecrankie.
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