Tyndrum

infobox UK place
country = Scotland
official_name= Tyndrum/Taigh an Druim
population = [http://www.forthvalleygis.gov.uk/stirling_by_number 167]
os_grid_reference= NN330303
latitude=56.43524
longitude=-4.71009
map_type=Scotland
unitary_scotland= Stirling Council
lieutenancy_scotland= Stirling and Falkirk
constituency_westminster= Stirling
constituency_scottish_parliament= Stirling
post_town= Crianlarich|postcode_district = FK20
postcode_area= FK |dial_code= 01838

Tyndrum ("Taigh an Droma" in Gaelic) is a small village in Scotland. Its Gaelic name translates as "the house on the ridge". It lies in Strathfillan, at the southern edge of Rannoch Moor.The village is notable mainly for being at an important crossroads of transport routes. The West Highland Line (a railway) from Glasgow splits approximately five miles to the south at Crianlarich, with one branch heading to Fort Willam and the other to Oban. Tyndrum has a station on each: Upper Tyndrum on the Fort William route and Tyndrum Lower on the Oban route. The somewhat unusual situation exists of two stations serving the same relatively small community, separated physically by only a few hundred yards, but about ten miles apart by rail. This is a legacy of the history of the railways in the area, after two separate railways belonging to different railway companies were built through the village. Roads mirror this division: the A82 passes through Tyndrum between Glasgow and Fort William, whilst the A85 to Oban splits off just north of the village.Fact|date=June 2008

Tyndrum is a popular tourist village, and is also on the West Highland Way, and has a campsite, hotel, bunkhouse and bed and breakfasts to accommodate walkers.Fact|date=June 2008

Overshadowed by Ben Lui, one of the Munros, Tyndrum is also built over the battlefield on which, in 1306 AD, clan MacDougall defeated Robert the Bruce and took from him the Brooch of Lorne.Fact|date=June 2008

Tyndrum is also a former gold mining centre. The hamlet of Clifton (the row of cottages over the A82 from the Green Welly) are the former mining cottages, and up on the hillside beyond them the tailings of a former lead mine can be seen. The actual gold mine is a couple of miles to the south and west of Tyndrum at Cononish, situated above Cononish Farm. Although the entrance is now closed off, walkers can explore the site and rangers encourage visitors to take home a souvenir from the thousands of sample cores lying on decaying wooden racks.Fact|date=June 2008 The owners are reactivating the mine. [cite web
last = Kelbie
first = Paul
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = UK's last gold mine set to reopen : Soaring price of precious metals makes drilling viable after a decade of idleness
work =
publisher = UK Guardian
date = 2008-06-29
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jun/29/mining1
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-29] The rivers around Tyndrum are a popular haunt for gold panners, which some of the landowners tolerate providing the panners do not use mechanical means of extraction.Fact|date=June 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/tyndrum/tyndrum/index.html Tyndrum page on Undiscovered Scotland]
* [http://www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/ The Green Welly Stop]
* [http://www.therealfoodcafe.com/ The Real Food Cafe] The former Little Chef building now a restaurant
* [http://www.tyndrumbytheway.com/ By The Way] A newly-built backpacker's hostel plus camping, caravans and trekker huts.
* [http://www.tyndrum.com/ Strathfillan House] The glen's former Manse and Church now offering Bed and Breakfast accommodation.
* [http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/towns/townfirst543.html Gazetteer entry for Tyndrum]
* [http://www.mindat.org/loc-31502.html Cononish]
* [http://www.mineralsuk.com/britmin/gold.pdf Minerals in Britain - Gold (1MB)]
* [http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/upload/file/planning_committee/07_2006_07_rpt.pdf July 2006 Planning Application for re-opening Cononish Gold Mine]