Description
Having explored various options for a feasible route between Perth and Dundee, I consider that this route is by far the best, despite being (marginally) the longest. It avoids the footway along the exceedingly busy A90, and it doesn't thread its way over rough ground, and between gorse bushes on the hills. Instead it uses good paths and tracks through Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, and the well maintained Coronation Road (path), to descend to Kinfauns, then a quiet minor road to Glencarse. There is a coffee shop and hotel in Glencarse, and in St Madoes there is a good shop, and St Madoes Centre also has a cafe. Both have bus stops (Perth-Dundee buses).
From St Madoes there is a pavement beside the road until Cottown, then the route heads down to the river. From here, a variety of paths and tracks head eastwards, with bridges over ditches, all the way to Templehall south of Longforgan, except for a 1.2km section along the road in order to cross the burn at Bogmiln. However if a shop, inn or bus is required, Errol is not far off route, although a longer stint along the road, past Grange, would be required.
East of Templemill there is no alternative to heading along the minor road to Kingoodie, although this is relieved briefly with a short section of path west of Invergowrie station, where the railway line is crossed on a bridge. The A85 is crossed in a subway, and the route heads into Dundee along Perth Road, descending steps to Greenmarket through a strip of park.
This route would be impossible for wheelers, due to rough paths, tree roots, steps, and narrow gaps. However Perth and Dundee are linked by Cycle route 77, (which this route uses where it is along a road), so that might be a possibility for wheelers, although traffic might be a problem
Having explored various options for a feasible route between Perth and Dundee, I consider that this route is by far the best, despite being (marginally) the longest. It avoids the footway along the exceedingly busy A90, and it doesn't thread its way over rough ground, and between gorse bushes on the hills. Instead it uses good paths and tracks through Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, and the well maintained Coronation Road (path), to descend to Kinfauns, then a quiet minor road to Glencarse. There is a coffee shop and hotel in Glencarse, and in St Madoes there is a good shop, and St Madoes Centre also has a cafe. Both have bus stops (Perth-Dundee buses).
From St Madoes there is a pavement beside the road until Cottown, then the route heads down to the river. From here, a variety of paths and tracks head eastwards, with bridges over ditches, all the way to Templehall south of Longforgan, except for a 1.2km section along the road in order to cross the burn at Bogmiln. However if a shop, inn or bus is required, Errol is not far off route, although a longer stint along the road, past Grange, would be required.
East of Templemill there is no alternative to heading along the minor road to Kingoodie, although this is relieved briefly with a short section of path west of Invergowrie station, where the railway line is crossed on a bridge. The A85 is crossed in a subway, and the route heads into Dundee along Perth Road, descending steps to Greenmarket through a strip of park.
This route would be impossible for wheelers, due to rough paths, tree roots, steps, and narrow gaps. However Perth and Dundee are linked by Cycle route 77, (which this route uses where it is along a road), so that might be a possibility for wheelers, although traffic might be a problem
Status
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Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 1
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - Yes (1)
There are currently no problems reported with this route.
Downloads - 0
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Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Perth
Grid Ref
NO1164323744
Lat / Lon
56.39765° / -3.43305°
Easting / Northing
311,643E / 723,744N
What3Words
grew.acting.solved
Dundee
Grid Ref
NO4035229916
Lat / Lon
56.45759° / -2.96945°
Easting / Northing
340,352E / 729,916N
What3Words
trinkets.signed.thus
| Perth | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | NO1164323744 |
| Lat / Lon | 56.39765° / -3.43305° |
| Easting / Northing | 311,643E / 723,744N |
| What3Words | grew.acting.solved |
| Dundee | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | NO4035229916 |
| Lat / Lon | 56.45759° / -2.96945° |
| Easting / Northing | 340,352E / 729,916N |
| What3Words | trinkets.signed.thus |
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review
F Berry
07 Apr 2024I walked most of this route in the winter months of 2023 and 2024. There are no access problems along the route, although a good proportion of the route is along minor roads with no footway. Most of the paths were fairly muddy, not surprising given the time of year. Photos here are shown in order from Perth to Dundee. The route would not be suitable for wheelers, due to narrow paths and steps along beside the estuary. I have given the route 4 stars, deducting one star because of the field margins which need to be used between Errol path network and Templehall, also there was too much tarmac for my liking, although only the short stretch at Bogmiln was busy with traffic. The route is correctly mapped.
From Perth the route climbs up the flanks of Kinnoull Hill, following almost a straight line through woodland until it reaches the Coronation Road (path). Care should be taken to follow the described route as there are numerous paths and tracks in Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park and Deuchney Hill. The Coronation Road is well signposted, except a sign is missing where the path leaves the road to go (north/west) to Northlees Farm. After a steep descent down to a burn a short very pleasant stretch leads to Kinfauns Church (worth a quick exploration of the graveyard).
Minor roads, with occasional vehicles, lead to Glencarse (cafe, hotel, bus stops), and the route crosses the A90 using a footway beside the road, then passes through the village of St Madoes (shop, cafe at St Madoes Centre, and bus stops). The footway continues to Cottown, and the route then uses farm tracks beside a solar farm to reach the Tay estuary.
The route avoids the village of Errol and continues along the coast, following various tracks and trodden paths, as far as Seaside. At the ponds (sewage works?) a trodden route continues through the strip of woodland, then becomes a field edge path until new houses are reached at Seaside. We walked round the edge of the last field (heading eastwards), and in 200m we were able to use a farm access track to gain the road which leads down to the growing hamlet of Seaside.
A short stretch of a fairly busy road is used to cross the burn at Bogmiln, then the route heads to the coast again past Powgavie. If a diversion into Errol is made, far more of this road would have to be walked.
Between Powgavie and Templehall the minor ditches were easily crossed, there were no fences to climb, and a field gate allowed access to the private road down to Templehall. At the start of the driveway a sign indicated 'No public Right of Way' (for those heading west) but a local inhabitant assured us that the driveway should be used to reach the coast at the field gate.
From Templehall the route again follows cycle route 77. The road here is relatively quiet, and has a 40mph speed restriction. It lies close to the Tay estuary and is quite scenic. Just before the railway bridge the route takes an access path to some houses, which continues as a path to Invergowrie railway station where it crosses the railway on a bridge.
From Invergowrie, the route crosses beneath the A85 and heads along Perth Road, the most direct route into Dundee. I have not walked this, preferring to head to the viewpoint in Riverside Nature Park, then along the esplanade into the city centre.
This is a long route, but over the course of 2 years I have explored a number of options and feel that this route is the best of the various Slowway options.
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