Birnam Hill

About 41/2 miles (6.8km). OS Landranger Map 52 or 53

Start at Beatrix Potter Garden in Birnam (or by the tiny station if you’re getting here by train), walk up the lane next to the garden signposted Birnam Hill, going under the A9. The lane bends to the left into Birnam Glen – walk past the houses of the glen towards Craigbeithe House, but before you reach the big house, the path goes off to the left towards Birnam Quarry, skirting the foot of the hill.

Just before the railway bridge, take the path on the right, heading uphill quite steeply. Keep on the main path until you reach a fork. For a short diversion take the left path signposted Stair Bridge View. After a few meters there’s an impressive bridge with a parapet with fantastic views over Birnam Wood (which Shakespeare used in ‘MacBeth’) and rural Perthshire.

The view from Stair Bridge, Birnam Hill

Stair Bridge, Birnam Hill

Return to the main path and carry on uphill, becoming steeper until you reach the top.

King’s Seat, Birnam Hill

You can take a breather at the top, marked by a cairn and enjoy views in every direction of our beautiful county of Perthshire.

Head down the other side down a steeper path than the one you came up, and stop at the viewpoint pictured below.

Looking over to Birnam and Dunkeld, separated by the Silvery Tay

Carry on downhill (poles would be handy for the old knees here), passing woodland.

Strange tree in the woods on the way back to Birnam

You end up where you started in Birnam and you can visit the Birnam Arts Centre and the Beatrix Potter Exhibition, have lunch or coffee then walk across the bridge to Dunkeld where there are some nice shops and cafes for more lunch and coffee!

The bridge over the River Tay between Birnam and Dunkeld