Nick Drainey's Extra Mile - Rob Roy's grave

HE is immortalised in film, in fiction and in the psyche of the nation. Rob Roy MacGregor is lauded as proof that you can stand up for yourself and provide for your family.

In the pretty little Trossachs village of Balquhidder lies the grave of Rob Roy, nestled below the mountains where he lived for many of his years.

Its presence is not shouted from the rooftops, nor is it part of a cemetery tour as other national heroes are. Nevertheless, a steady stream of visitors make their way to lay flowers, learn a little about Scotland's past or just look.

Turn off the A84 at the Kings House Hotel, between Strathyre and Lochearnhead. An old black and white road sign points the way, right, down a single-track road.

After driving for a couple of miles to Balquhidder, another sign points right, to a car park below the village's parish church.

Walk through the gate at the bottom of the church's drive and turn left on a path into the graveyard.

The last resting place of Rob Roy is a few yards along the path on the left, next to the graves of his wife and two of their four sons. A sign on the grave says he died on December 28, 1734, "aged about 70". In fact he was 63 when he passed away in his sleep at his house in the glen at Inverlochlarig.

It is worth a visit to the church as well to learn a little more local history, including that of the MacGregors.

After you have had your fill of hard-living heroes why not head four miles further down the road, along the shores of Loch Voil, to the sumptuous Monachyle Mhor country house hotel to take stock.

To find out about a part of Rob Roy's life a few glens away from Balquhidder, read Walk of the Week in this Sunday's Spectrum magazine.