The Hermitage

The view of the falls from the bridge, just before Ossian's Hall on the circular walk from the car park at the Hermitage.

The Hermitage  is a Scottish National Trust visitor site near Dunkeld in Perthshire. The car park can be reached from the A9 and the site sits on the banks of the River Braan  in Craigvinean Forest. It is home to Ossian's Hall  and Ossian's Cave, follies built by the Dukes of Atholl, in the 18th century to honour the blind bard Ossian. Hewn out of the rock the Hermit's Cave was built around 1760 for the third Earl of Breadalbane, who advertised for a hermit to live there without success.

Ossian's Hall showing the viewing platform at the front.


Ossian’s Hall overlooks the waterfall on the River Braan. It was built in 1757.

 The falls from the viewing platform. The noise s thunderous.

Visited the hermitage many years ago. These two photos show some of the detail of the decoration at that time. Think it must have been raining that day, because there seem to have been raindrops on the lens or perhaps it was spray from the falls. The trust refurbished the hall in 2007 with glass doors to the viewing platform and mirrored panels. Whilst the new décor is dramatic, I quite liked the classical design that was there, when I first visited. Glad that I have seen them both.

The money tree.

 The view of the river through the trees.

 The side and front entrances to the hermit's cell.

The path through the trees.

Sculpture in the woodland