Your Hosts: John & Ann
The Meikleour Beech Hedge is
about 1 mile from the caravan
Park on the A93 to Blairgowrie.
The trees were planted in 1745
and are now officially
recognised in the Guinness
Book of Records as the highest
hedge in the world.
Legend has it that following the
death of her husband Robert
Murray Nairne at the battle of
Culloden, Jean Mercer of Meikleour allowed the hedge
to grow towards the heavens in a tribute to his memory.
At its most spectacular in the autumn, the sheer size of
the hedge makes it impressive at any time of year.
The summit of Kinnoull
Hill itself is only around
700 (222 metres) feet
above sea level, small in
comparison to its cousins
in the north of the county
but as a native of the
Fair City, the views
(especially to the north)
are captivating.
Park at the Jublilee car
park located around 1 mile outside the city limits on the
unclassified road running from Perth to Kinfauns - cross the
road and go through the gate ahead. Two waymarked
woodland tracks can be followed to Kinnoull Hill Tower, a
folly, which Lord Gray built around 1829 in imitation of the
castles on the Rhine in Germany, as proud landmarks
above the Tay, Scotland's longest river.
The yellow route forks left and initially skirts the colourful
Scots pine; birch and oak dominated woodlands. The
alternative route carries on straight ahead up a short incline
then levels out amongst tall Scots pine before climbing
again and eventually meets the yellow route on its way to
the Tower. Keep you're eyes peeled for red squirrels and
elusive roe deer. The area is a Site of Special Scientific
Interest due to the rare plants that can be found in the
woodland. Higher up, the path runs closer to the cliffs and
care is required here especially with youngsters and dogs.
Shortly you will come across the Tower, grandly located at
the edge of the 370 million year old cliffs, overlooking the
River Tay and down towards Glencarse with fabulous views
towards the Ochil and Lomond hills. From the tower
continue on down a usually muddy track which continues to
skirt round the cliffs and climbs to the stone table built by
the 9th Earl of Kinnoull as a place to picnic. From here it's a
short climb to the summit marker with spectacular views to
the Cairngorm mountains in the north, the Loch Earn hills in
the west and the Ochil and Lomond hills in the sout. To
return to the Jubilee car park - continue to descend the
yellow route towards the Quarry car park and follow the
route east before the quarry car park is reached -
continuing along the yellow route will bring you back to the
walk start.
A Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park walks guide is available from
the local Tourist Information
Scone Palace is
about 9 miles from
the caravan Park on
the A93 to Perth.
Scone is a place that
breathes history like
nowhere else in
Scotland. Today, in
the 21st century, it is
the home of the
Earls of Mansfield, and a major attraction to visitors
from all over the world. Fifteen hundred years ago, it
was the capital of the Pictish kingdom and the centre
of the ancient Celtic church. In the intervening
centuries, it has been the seat of parliaments and the
crowning place of Kings. It has housed the Stone of
Destiny and been immortalised in Shakespeare's
Macbeth.
Poised above the River Tay, the Palace overlooks the
routes north to the Highlands and east through
Strathmore to the coast.