The Hosh is a pleasant waymarked circular following tracks through fields, woodland paths and along a beautiful terrace giving grand views over Crieff. The walk visits the hamlet of the Hosh, passing the Glenturret Distillery.
Bog Factor
Waymarked paths and lanes with some ascent.
Knock middle car park, Crieff.
Crieff is served by both local and long-distance buses.
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The walk begins from the Knock Car park which is above Crieff. To reach it head up Ferntower road, following the road when it turns sharply to the left. Soon afterwards as the enormous Crieff Hydro hotel is approached, fork right to continue up the hill. There is a parking area on the right as the road curves round. This walk is one of several waymarked by the Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust; others include the Knock from the same start point (you can walk both together as a figure of eight). Begin the walk by continuing along the road, soon passing a bench with a fine view up Strathearn.
Keep left at a fork, staying on the tarmac and, signed for Glens Adventure Land - an activity centre which is part of the Crieff Hydro hotel. This activity complex is soon reached; ignore the track off left (signed for the riding centre) and keep ahead with the activity reception to your right. Beyond this the tarmac road bends left - leave it and continue ahead, passing through a parking area. Ignore a track off right and continue on a rougher track ahead (signed for 'The Hosh'), between a hedge on your left and mature trees on your right.
This descends with attractive views ahead over Glen Turret ahead. Ignore a path off left and continue down the track, which itself then curves left. When it reaches a t-junctuon ignore the sign for the distillery and instead turn right. Beyond this ignore the track swinging right and keep ahead on a footpath, soon reaching and crossing a wooden footbridge. Turn left on the far side and continue to reach the tarmac road. Go left along the road, crossing the Turret bridge to reach the Glenturret distillery, one of the oldest in Scotland.
Turn left into the distillery visitor centre car park and pass behind the buildings to reach a wooden footbridge; cross this to head back across the Turret once more. On the far side follow the path to the left at first; it soon swings right and climbs up to reach a junction. Turn sharp right here (signed for Comrie Road) and continue through the trees, close to the river. At the next signposted junction, turn left (marked for Culcrieff).
The walk now heads steeply uphill through the trees, zigzagging to ease the graident. When a broad track is reached turn left along it. The track leads through trees towards some balconied self-catering houses; turn right up a path just before reaching these. Go straight across a track above them onto the waymarked one opposite. From here the walk is signed for the cinder path to the hotel. Pass the tree-top activity course; beyond the path soon runs along a natural balcony with fine views, passing a stone-built well built in 1874. The water here was reputed to have healing properties; it made Crieff into a fashionable resort, funding the construction of the enormous Hydro hotel complex as well as many fine buildings in the town. Today the water is marked as being unfit for human consumption.
The walk continues along a terrace with wonderful views up the Earn valley to the right, and over Crieff itself ahead. The route eventually joins a tarmac lane. Keep ahead along this, but just before passing through a gateway in a high wall turn left onto a path climbing steeply uphill, with a wall on your right and a field to the left. At the top of this the path emerges at another development of self-catering chalets. Turn left onto the driveway here and follow it back up to the road and parking area at the start of the walk.
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