This figure-of-eight loop explores some of the beautiful woodland scenery to the north of Dunkeld. It includes a visit to the King's Seat viewpoint.
Summary
Waymarked paths and tracks; one section crosses area used heavily by Landrovers and care is needed to stay on route here - this part can be a little muddy.
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1. Begin the walk from the car park at the north end of Dunkeld off Atholl Street (parking charge). The path - which is waymarked - begins from the far end of the car park, passing to the right of Stanley Hill. Go straight across the surfaced path to the tarmac minor road just beyond (the path on the left is used for the return route). Turn left along the stone lined road, which is actually the drive for the Dunkeld House Hotel (part of the Hilton chain). Dunkeld Cathedral can be seen over to the left.
2. Look out a blue waymarker sign that indicates where a path slopes off to the right into the woods. It keeps parallel to the road for a while at a higher level. Continue along the path until it meets a track, then turn right onto this. The tracks in this area are used as part of a 'Landrover experience' attraction which unfortunately means there is something of a maze of them and they are muddy in places. Go straight ahead when you meet another track at a bend.
3. When the track forks, turn right and then left at the next junction. Now keep to the track that stays close to the edge of the wood. Turn right at the next two junctions and you should see a minor road ahead. Just before reaching this, turn left down a broader track (there are waymarkers at most but not all of these junctions). Fork right at the next junction to follow a smaller track heading uphill into the trees. Keep straight on with this track until a waymarked path goes off to the right - take this and follow the path. Soon it reaches a wooden bench beneath a cliff - this is King's Seat. The viewpoint is just beyond but is often obscured by the trees - and some new properties built down below detract from the feeling of peace.
4. Beyond the viewpoint, turn left onto a track at a t junction. This curves left and passes close above the new houses. When you meet the drive to them, go straight across. Keep to the right on the next section and climb a little to join with another route coming in from the right. At the next junction turn right and follow the track into the 'Amphitheatre' - a dell surrounded by tall leylandi. Follow the track round the dell. At the large tree, turn right - you are now back on the outward route. Follow this back until some wooden steps descend to a path down to the road. Go straight across this and then turn left onto the track running parallel to but well above the river Tay.
5. The track leads to the Cathedral - keep to the left of this. Near to the tower (and with an intepretation board) is the Mother Larch. This was one of five European Larches imported by the Duke of Atholl from Austria in 1738 and planted here (he lived at Dunkeld House at the time). The other four have long gone but the seeds from these trees were used to afforest much of Perthshire - 14 million of them were planted by the 3rd and 4th Dukes. Continue past the Cathedral, following the path to the left to return to the start.
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